Kia Says UK Connect Tracking Cannot Recover Stolen Cars as 55,000 Vehicles Were Taken in 2025
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 1
Kia Says UK Connect Tracking Cannot Recover Stolen Cars as 55,000 Vehicles Were Taken in 2025
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 1
Summary
Ian Fogg lost his Kia in March and still has not recovered it, even after the carmaker could view location data and he supplied doorbell footage, an AirTag trail and repeated requests.
Kia told the BBC its Connect service is a convenience feature, not a certified security tracker, and UK data-protection rules mean it cannot provide live stolen-vehicle tracking; Fogg received locations only 24 to 48 hours later.
Thieves disconnected Fogg's phone from the car without the keys through an ownership-transfer process, while the hidden AirTag was later found and discarded after sounding an anti-stalking alert.
Thatcham Research said connected-car apps create a growing gap between what owners expect and what the systems can do, urging drivers to use independently certified trackers with their own power and real-time monitoring.
Nearly 55,000 cars were stolen in the UK in 2025, down 11% from a year earlier, and only about 13% are recovered on average.