A Baltimore woman said new software upgrades from Hyundai have quelled a would-be thief. ‘I get a call from a police officer and think, ‘This can’t be real. This is a joke.’ I couldn’t believe it,” said Francine Ali Amina Al Azhar. Al Azhar drives a 2019 Hyundai Accent. A few weeks ago, the medical technician was recovering from major surgery in her east Baltimore apartment when she received a call from the parking lot a block away. Police responded to an attempted theft of her car. “He turns around and takes me to the passenger side of my car. I don’t know if I wanted to cry, scream or get angry,” Al Azhar said. the side window was shattered and the ignition key was blown open with wires hanging out. “He said, ‘Yes, they tried to steal it, but the good news is they couldn’t start it.’ They couldn’t achieve anything with it. Al Azhar said. That’s because she had just had her car serviced. She took the car in for a recall, but while there she also received anti-theft immobilizer software. With car thefts in Baltimore up more than 200% this year, she is urging Kia and Hyundai owners to take action now. “I took my car to the dealer and they updated the software just in time because if I hadn’t done that, my car would have been gone,” Al Azhar said. You can help Al Azhar pay for her damages. GoFundMe page here. The Baltimore City Police Department is still handing out free steering wheel locks to Kia and Hyundai owners. Their next event is next Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Hollinswood Shopping Center at 2157 W. Patapsco Ave.
A Baltimore woman said new software upgrades from Hyundai quelled a would-be thief.
“I get a call from a police officer and I think, ‘This can’t be happening. This is a joke.’ I couldn’t believe it,” said Francine Ali Amina Al Azhar.
Al Azhar drives a 2019 Hyundai Accent. A few weeks ago, the medical technician was recovering from major surgery in her east Baltimore apartment when she received a call from the parking lot a block away. Police responded to an attempted theft of her car.
“He steps around and takes me to the passenger side of my car. I don’t know if I wanted to cry, scream or get angry,” Al Azhar said.
The front passenger window was shattered and the ignition key was cracked open with wires hanging out.
“He said, ‘Yes, they tried to steal it, but the good news is that they couldn’t start it. They couldn’t achieve anything with it,'” Al Azhar said.
That’s because she had just had her car serviced. She took it in for a recall, but while there she also received anti-theft immobilizer software.
With car thefts in Baltimore up more than 200% this year, she is urging Kia and Hyundai owners to take action now.
“I’m glad I took my car to the dealer and they updated the software just in time because if I hadn’t done that, my car would have been gone,” Al Azhar said.
You can help Al Azhar pay for the damages on her GoFundMe page here.
The Baltimore City Police Department is still handing out free steering wheel locks to Kia and Hyundai owners. Their next event is next Wednesday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Hollinswood Shopping Center at 2157 W. Patapsco Ave.