Campus Alert Archive
LUC

Motor vehicle theft, June 12, 2024

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Confirmed Threat

Campus Safety issued back-to-back Timely Warning crime alerts after two vehicles, both left running and unattended, were stolen from the same block of North Sheridan Road near Loyola's Lake Shore Campus, one in the early morning hours of June 12, 2024 and the second in the early morning hours of July 18, 2024. Both alerts referenced the nationwide social-media-driven trend of thieves exploiting a security flaw in certain Kia and Hyundai models that allows the vehicles to be started without a key.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Loyola University Chicago
Private R1 · IL
All LUC cases →
~17,000 studentsLoyola Alert
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim2646 chars
Dear Loyola Community, Campus Safety is writing to notify you of a report of a motor vehicle theft that occurred overnight. At approximately 12:15 a.m. there was a motor vehicle theft on the 6400 block of N Sheridan Road. A person unaffiliated with the University left their vehicle running while unattended and returned to find it missing. No one was injured as a result of the theft. Campus Safety will continue working with the Chicago Police Department as they investigate this case. If anyone has information on the incident, please call Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911 or 312-744-8263. The Chicago Police Department also continues to investigate leads related to other recent violent incidents in the district, and any new updates will be posted to the 24th District Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and CLEARMAP websites. Please also keep the following risk-reduction tips in mind: Safety Tips If a person threatens you, follow any demands and run away as soon as it is safe to do so. Once in a safe place, immediately notify Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911. Never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys in the vehicle. Certain Kia and Hyundai models have a known security flaw that allows a vehicle to be started without a key. Owners of these vehicles should consult the manufacturer to determine if their vehicle is at an increased risk of theft. Investigative follow-up will be dependent on the amount of detail a person can recall. It is important to remember as many identifying characteristics about the offender(s) as possible. This can include the license plate of any involved vehicle, physical characteristics of the person, their clothing, any weapons used, direction of flight, etc. If you see something you believe to be suspicious, immediately contact Campus Safety or the Chicago Police Department. Campus Safety recognizes that survivors are not at fault for any crime. Students who are seeking resources related to acts of violence can contact the Wellness Center at 773-508-2530 or visit the Community Coalition on Gender-Based Violence website. Faculty and staff in need of resources are encouraged to utilize the University’s Employee Assistance Program. The safety and well-being of the Loyola community is always of paramount importance and a top priority. Sincerely, Thomas K. Murray Director of Campus Safety Chief of Police This message is being sent out in compliance with the Timely Warning requirement of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).
Verify this quote
LUC Campus Safety Crime Alert — June 12, 2024 motor vehicle theftluc.edufind archived copies
Full official LUC Campus Safety crime-alert email recovered from https://www.luc.edu/safety/alerts/2024/crimealert-june122024/ (2646 chars).
The victim was explicitly described as 'not affiliated with the University,' underscoring that Clery timely warnings cover the public geography around a campus, not just enrolled students or employees
The alert names the specific Kia/Hyundai ignition vulnerability driving a nationwide wave of similar campus thefts documented elsewhere in this archive
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatim2615 chars
Dear Loyola Community, Campus Safety is writing to notify you of a report of a motor vehicle theft that occurred this morning. At approximately 5:00 a.m. there was a motor vehicle theft on the 6400 block of N Sheridan Road. A person left their vehicle running while unattended and returned to find it missing. No one was injured as a result of the theft. Campus Safety will continue working with the Chicago Police Department as they investigate this case. If anyone has information on the incident, please call Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911 or 312-744-8263. The Chicago Police Department also continues to investigate leads related to other recent violent incidents in the district, and any new updates will be posted to the 24th District Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and CLEARMAP websites. Please also keep the following risk-reduction tips in mind: Safety Tips If a person threatens you, follow any demands and run away as soon as it is safe to do so. Once in a safe place, immediately notify Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911. Never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys in the vehicle. Certain Kia and Hyundai models have a known security flaw that allows a vehicle to be started without a key. Owners of these vehicles should consult the manufacturer to determine if their vehicle is at an increased risk of theft. Investigative follow-up will be dependent on the amount of detail a person can recall. It is important to remember as many identifying characteristics about the offender(s) as possible. This can include the license plate of any involved vehicle, physical characteristics of the person, their clothing, any weapons used, direction of flight, etc. If you see something you believe to be suspicious, immediately contact Campus Safety or the Chicago Police Department. Campus Safety recognizes that survivors are not at fault for any crime. Students who are seeking resources related to acts of violence can contact the Wellness Center at 773-508-2530 or visit the Community Coalition on Gender-Based Violence website. Faculty and staff in need of resources are encouraged to utilize the University’s Employee Assistance Program. The safety and well-being of the Loyola community is always of paramount importance and a top priority. Sincerely, Thomas K. Murray Director of Campus Safety Chief of Police This message is being sent out in compliance with the Timely Warning requirement of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).
Verify this quote
LUC Campus Safety Crime Alert — July 18, 2024 motor vehicle theftluc.edufind archived copies
Full official LUC Campus Safety crime-alert email recovered from https://www.luc.edu/safety/alerts/2024/crimealert-july182024/ (2615 chars).
The second theft occurred on the identical block of N. Sheridan Road as the June 12 incident, roughly five weeks later, suggesting either a recurring opportunistic pattern in the same stretch of street or coincidental unrelated thefts
The July alert shifts from a generic 'never leave keys inside' warning to a more specific recommendation that Kia/Hyundai owners consult their manufacturer, suggesting Campus Safety refined its guidance between the two alerts
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

Dear Loyola Community, Campus Safety is writing to notify you of a report of a motor vehicle theft that occurred overnight. At approximately 12:15 a.m. there was a motor vehicle theft on the 6400 block of N Sheridan Road. A person unaffiliated with the University left their vehicle running while unattended and returned to find it missing. No one was injured as a result of the theft. Campus Safety will continue working with the Chicago Police Department as they investigate this case. If anyone has information on the incident, please call Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911 or 312-744-8263. The Chicago Police Department also continues to investigate leads related to other recent violent incidents in the district, and any new updates will be posted to the 24th District Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and CLEARMAP websites. Please also keep the following risk-reduction tips in mind: Safety Tips If a person threatens you, follow any demands and run away as soon as it is safe to do so. Once in a safe place, immediately notify Campus Safety at 773-508-SAFE or the Chicago Police Department at 911. Never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys in the vehicle. Certain Kia and Hyundai models have a known security flaw that allows a vehicle to be started without a key. Owners of these vehicles should consult the manufacturer to determine if their vehicle is at an increased risk of theft. Investigative follow-up will be dependent on the amount of detail a person can recall. It is important to remember as many identifying characteristics about the offender(s) as possible. This can include the license plate of any involved vehicle, physical characteristics of the person, their clothing, any weapons used, direction of flight, etc. If you see something you believe to be suspicious, immediately contact Campus Safety or the Chicago Police Department. Campus Safety recognizes that survivors are not at fault for any crime. Students who are seeking resources related to acts of violence can contact the Wellness Center at 773-508-2530 or visit the Community Coalition on Gender-Based Violence website. Faculty and staff in need of resources are encouraged to utilize the University’s Employee Assistance Program. The safety and well-being of the Loyola community is always of paramount importance and a top priority. Sincerely, Thomas K. Murray Director of Campus Safety Chief of Police This message is being sent out in compliance with the Timely Warning requirement of the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that the message is signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety and Chief of Police at Loyola, clearly identifying the issuer.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Signed by the Director of Campus Safety and Chief of Police, naming the department.
    2. present: Identifies Campus Safety and Director Thomas K. Murray of Loyola.
    3. present: Signed by Director of Campus Safety, names Loyola Campus Safety
    4. present: signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Loyola
    5. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety/Chief of Police.
    6. present: Signed 'Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police'
    7. present: Signed by 'Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety'
    8. present: Signed by the Director of Campus Safety/Chief of Police, Loyola.
    9. present: Signed by 'Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police', Loyola named.
    10. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety.
    11. present: Signed by Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police.
    12. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety and Chief of Police, Loyola.
    13. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety/Chief of Police, Loyola.
    14. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Loyola.
    15. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Chicago Police Department referenced.
    16. present: Signed by 'Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety'.
    17. present: Director of Campus Safety, Loyola named as issuer.
    18. present: 'Loyola' Campus Safety and Director signed
    19. present: signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police
    20. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety/Chief of Police, Loyola.
    21. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police
    22. present: signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety
    23. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, referencing Chicago Police.
    24. present: Signed by Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety, Chief of Police.
    25. present: Signed by 'Thomas K. Murray, Director of Campus Safety' at Loyola.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that 'motor vehicle theft' names the specific offense.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States "motor vehicle theft" as the specific offense.
    2. present: Names 'motor vehicle theft' as the specific offense.
    3. present: Names motor vehicle theft
    4. present: names motor vehicle theft specifically
    5. present: Names motor vehicle theft.
    6. present: 'motor vehicle theft'
    7. present: 'motor vehicle theft'
    8. present: States a 'motor vehicle theft'.
    9. present: Names 'motor vehicle theft' as the hazard.
    10. present: Names motor vehicle theft.
    11. present: Names motor vehicle theft specifically.
    12. present: Describes a motor vehicle theft.
    13. present: 'motor vehicle theft' named specifically.
    14. present: 'motor vehicle theft' names the offense.
    15. present: 'motor vehicle theft' names the offense.
    16. present: 'motor vehicle theft' names the hazard.
    17. present: Motor vehicle theft named specifically.
    18. present: 'motor vehicle theft' named specifically
    19. present: 'motor vehicle theft'
    20. present: States 'motor vehicle theft'.
    21. present: 'motor vehicle theft' names the specific offense
    22. present: 'motor vehicle theft'
    23. present: 'motor vehicle theft' named.
    24. present: 'motor vehicle theft' names the specific hazard.
    25. present: Names a motor vehicle theft.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that the '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' gives a specific location.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Names "the 6400 block of N Sheridan Road."
    2. present: Names the '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'.
    3. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given
    4. present: names 6400 block of N Sheridan Road
    5. present: Names 6400 block of N Sheridan Road.
    6. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'
    7. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'
    8. present: Names 'the 6400 block of N Sheridan Road'.
    9. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' named.
    10. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given.
    11. present: Names 6400 block of N Sheridan Road.
    12. present: Names the '6400 block of N Sheridan Road.'
    13. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given.
    14. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' gives location.
    15. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given.
    16. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given.
    17. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'.
    18. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given
    19. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'
    20. present: Names 6400 block of N Sheridan Road.
    21. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' named
    22. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'
    23. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'.
    24. present: '6400 block of N Sheridan Road' given.
    25. present: Names '6400 block of N Sheridan Road'.
  • Guidancepresent24/25

    Final assessment

    Near-unanimous agreement that the safety tips, including never leaving a vehicle unattended with keys inside and running from threats, count as protective guidance.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Provides safety tips like never leaving a vehicle unattended with keys inside.
    2. present: Advises running away if threatened and never leaving keys in the vehicle.
    3. present: Safety tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys
    4. present: gives safety tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys
    5. present: Gives safety tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys.
    6. present: 'Never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys'
    7. present: Safety tips like 'never leave your vehicle unattended'
    8. present: Gives safety tips like never leaving a vehicle unattended with keys inside.
    9. present: Safety tips: never leave vehicle unattended with keys, run if threatened.
    10. present: Safety tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys.
    11. present: Gives safety tips like not leaving vehicle unattended with keys.
    12. present: Lists safety tips like not leaving keys in unattended vehicles.
    13. present: Safety tips like 'never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys' give protective actions.
    14. present: Gives safety tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys.
    15. present: Safety tips like follow demands and run away, never leave vehicle unattended.
    16. present: Safety tips like 'Never leave your vehicle unattended with the keys' are protective guidance.
    17. present: 'follow any demands and run away as soon as it is safe' safety tip.
    18. present: Safety tips like 'never leave your vehicle unattended'
    19. absent: general safety tips, not action for this specific incident
    20. present: Gives tips like never leaving vehicle unattended with keys.
    21. present: Tips like never leave vehicle unattended with keys, notify Campus Safety if threatened
    22. present: 'follow any demands and run away', 'never leave your vehicle unattended'
    23. present: Tips like never leaving keys in vehicle, running away from threats.
    24. present: Safety tips like 'never leave your vehicle unattended with keys' given.
    25. present: Gives safety tips like never leaving a vehicle unattended with keys.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' gives a specific clock time.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States "At approximately 12:15 a.m."
    2. present: States 'at approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    3. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given
    4. present: gives time 'approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    5. present: States 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' and 'overnight'.
    6. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    7. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    8. present: States 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    9. present: 'approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    10. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    11. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' gives specific time.
    12. present: States 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    13. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    14. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' gives clock time.
    15. present: 'approximately 12:15 a.m.' and 'overnight' given.
    16. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    17. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    18. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given
    19. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    20. present: Gives 'approximately 12:15 a.m.'.
    21. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given
    22. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
    23. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    24. present: 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.' given.
    25. present: States 'At approximately 12:15 a.m.'
  • Impactabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous agreement that the statement 'No one was injured as a result of the theft' explicitly negates any stated harm.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: States "No one was injured as a result of the theft," conveying no harm resulted.
    2. absent: States 'no one was injured', but no stated potential harm.
    3. absent: States 'No one was injured', no stated potential harm
    4. absent: states 'No one was injured', no explicit statement of potential harm
    5. absent: States no one was injured, no forward severity conveyed.
    6. absent: 'No one was injured' negates stated harm
    7. absent: 'No one was injured' states no harm occurred
    8. absent: States 'No one was injured as a result of the theft', no severity conveyed.
    9. absent: States 'no one was injured', no harm conveyed.
    10. absent: 'No one was injured', no other stated severity.
    11. absent: States no one was injured, no severity conveyed.
    12. absent: States 'no one was injured,' negating any stated harm.
    13. absent: 'No one was injured as a result of the theft' explicitly states no harm occurred.
    14. absent: States 'No one was injured', no other harm conveyed.
    15. absent: States 'no one was injured', no severity conveyed.
    16. absent: States 'No one was injured', no harm stated.
    17. absent: 'No one was injured' explicitly states no harm.
    18. absent: 'No one was injured' stated, no severity conveyed
    19. absent: 'No one was injured' explicitly negates impact
    20. absent: States 'No one was injured', no stated harm.
    21. absent: States 'No one was injured', no severity conveyed
    22. absent: 'No one was injured', no stated potential harm
    23. absent: 'No one was injured as a result of the theft.'
    24. absent: States 'no one was injured', no stated potential harm.
    25. absent: States 'no one was injured', not a stated harm.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Loyola University Chicago's Lake Shore Campus sits along North Sheridan Road in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a dense residential corridor where campus and off-campus parking overlap closely. In the summer of 2024, Campus Safety issued two nearly identical Timely Warning alerts after vehicles parked and left running unattended in the 6400 block of N. Sheridan Road were stolen, once on June 12 and again on July 18. Both alerts referenced the well-documented, TikTok-amplified 'Kia Boys' trend exploiting a manufacturing flaw that lets certain Kia and Hyundai models be started without a key, a pattern that drove similar Timely Warnings at university police departments nationwide, including neighboring public safety notices from the University at Buffalo and Arizona State University in the same year. Neither Loyola alert reported an arrest or a recovered vehicle.
Analysis

Key Findings

Two Timely Warnings for the same crime type, on the same city block, five weeks apart illustrate how a single vulnerable stretch of street can generate repeat Clery notifications rather than one isolated incident
Both thefts involved vehicles left running and unattended, a detail Campus Safety emphasized to distinguish opportunistic theft from forced entry
The alerts explicitly named a manufacturer-specific security flaw (the Kia/Hyundai keyless-start vulnerability) as the underlying cause, a level of technical specificity uncommon in most Clery vehicle-theft warnings
Both victims were identified only as unaffiliated with the University, showing Clery timely-warning geography extends to public streets bordering a campus regardless of the victim's institutional status
Outcome
No injuries were reported in either theft. Campus Safety continued working with the Chicago Police Department on both investigations; no arrests were reported in either case in available coverage.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    Crime Alert - June 12, 2024 (Loyola University Chicago Campus Safety)
    luc.edu
    archived copy
  2. Official
    Crime Alert - July 18, 2024 (Loyola University Chicago Campus Safety)
    luc.edu
    archived copy
  3. News
    Chicago sees a drop in auto thefts, but a new concern drives numbers up for certain vehicles (CBS Chicago)
    cbsnews.com
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Loyola University Chicago: Motor vehicle theft, June 12, 2024." Incident of June 12, 2024. Added July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/loyola-university-chicago-motor-vehicle-theft-spree-2024-06-12/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
motor-vehicle-theftkia-hyundaitimely-warningchicagorogers-parkrepeat-locationno-arrest2024
Added July 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion