LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — While crime rates have seen a decline across the valley, auto theft has surged, with thieves targeting vehicles regardless of make or model. Fineto Hicks, a resident of the Lennox Apartments in Paradise, recently fell victim to this trend when his newly purchased dream car, a Ram TRX, was stolen.
"I parked it right over here in this area... it's only two spots," Hicks lamented. "It was a big deal. So yeah, that was my baby."
Six days ago, after a brief nap, Hicks walked outside to find his prized truck missing. Initially assuming it had been towed, he soon realized it had been stolen, marking the second vehicle theft he has experienced in Las Vegas.
"It can't happen to me, you know. So we are like, it had to have gotten towed," Hicks said, reflecting on his disbelief. "Is somebody playing a cruel joke on me? That's all I keep thinking. Like it could not be possible."
The rise in auto theft has prompted Metro Sheriff McMahill to address the issue in his recent State of the Department address, attributing a significant increase to viral social media challenges like the TikTok Hyundai/Kia challenge.
MORE: Metro sheriff touts successes, reiterates call for safer Las Vegas roads
"We had a substantial increase due to our TikTok challenge... the Hyundai/Kia challenge and it's really across this great country of ours, certainly across the valley. The challenge we all had, in fact, one of our area commands were up 90%," Sheriff McMahill stated.
Despite this spike, Metro has managed to reduce the number of auto thefts by 36%, a feat the Sheriff acknowledges but believes more needs to be done to protect potential victims.
"Reducing it from 90 down to 36 was pretty good but we've got a long way to go making sure we have fewer victims," he emphasized.
To prevent auto theft, Metro offers several safety tips, including always locking your car and parking in well-lit, busy areas.
