The city of Rochester has joined several other cities across the United States in announcing that it is pursuing litigation against car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai for allegedly knowingly distributing cars without readily available anti-theft technology and for allegedly failing to address the issue even after a rash of thefts ramped up.

In the first three months of 2023, officials say Rochester has seen more than 750 Kias and Hyundais stolen.

“The costs to taxpayers of the city of Rochester are skyrocketing – in law enforcement, property damage, waived impound fees, and public safety – because of the decision by Kia and Hyundai to not install readily available anti-theft technology,” Rochester Mayor Malik Evans said in a statement. “These thefts are negatively impacting the quality of life of Rochester residents and the livelihoods of Rochester business owners.”

"We are bringing this lawsuit on behalf of the city of Rochester to address the impact of this situation on city resources," said Linda Kingsley, Corporation Counsel for the city of Rochester. "The lawsuit, which will likely be filed this week, will be part of a series of lawsuits filed by municipalities from around the country. The suit will be a federal action and will be heard in the U.S. District Court of the Central District of California as part of multi-district litigation."

Kia and Hyundai have U.S. headquarters in California. Eight other cities are involved in the multidistrict lawsuit, including Buffalo, Cleveland, San Diego and Seattle.

Last Thursday, attorneys general in 17 states urged the federal government to recall millions of Kia and Hyundai cars because they claim they are too easy to steal.

Videos circulating on social media have shown how people can start Kia and Hyundai models by using only a screwdriver and a USB cable. In Los Angeles, thefts of Hyundai and Kia cars increased by about 85% in 2022, now accounting for 20% of all car thefts in the city, according to the California attorney general's office.

These alleged social media-inspired thefts have often ended in tragedy, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blaming the stolen car trend for 14 reported crashes and eight deaths.

Kia said in a statement that it is focused on the issue, “and we continue to take action to address the concerns these attorneys general have raised.” The automaker says more than 165,000 customers have had the software installed, and over 2 million owners have been contacted about it. The company says the vehicles comply with federal safety standards, so a recall isn’t necessary.

Hyundai also said its vehicles comply with federal anti-theft requirements. The company says it rolled out the software upgrade to prevent the thefts two months ahead of schedule, but it did not answer a question about how many vehicles have received it. “We are communicating with NHTSA on our many actions to assist our customers,” the company statement said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.