AUSTIN, Texas – Austin Police say the people responsible for killing a writer for the conspiracy website, InfoWars, were breaking into his Kia when they shot him Sunday night.
Statistics show that in Texas, Kia is one of the top brands targeted by car burglars, alongside sister brand Hyundai.
By the numbers:
Texas DPS provided FOX 7 Austin with the top ten stolen vehicles in the state for Feb. 2025:
- GM Pickup – 616
- Ford Pickup – 231
- Hyundai Elantra – 147
- GM Tahoe – 132
- Hyundai Sonata – 115
- Dodge Pickup – 104
- Dodge Charger – 92
- Chevrolet Camaro – 88
- Kia Optima – 84
- Honda Accord – 69
In Austin, statistics show that motor vehicle theft has been on the rise since summer 2018.
It spiked in 2023 when a TikTok challenge went viral, which showed how to steal cars with something as simple as a screwdriver or even the end of a USB cable. The challenge revealed several Kia and Hyundai models built from 2011 to 2021 did not have immobilizers to prevent them from being started without a physical key present.
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In 2023, sibling brands Kia and Hyundai rolled out software upgrades to millions of their vehicles. Research by the Highway Loss Data Institute shows the software upgrade has cut theft rates of Kia vehicles by more than half.
Austin Police statistics show that so far, in 2025, Southeast Austin has the most reported auto thefts in the city with more than 200. The area with the least number of reported auto thefts is Southwest Austin, with 25.
What they’re saying:
“I think that you just have a perfect storm of several factors going on. Cars are less easy to obtain, two manufacturers have put out cars that are easy to steal, and then we have social media, and then also, I’m sure, you know, among a certain group of people that’s probably fun and novel, it’s like an activity, let’s go out and steal a car,” St. Edward’s University associate professor of Criminal Justice Carsten Andresen said.
“These people breaking into cars, they probably have bad judgment, they’re probably impulsive and then if they have a firearm, that’s very worrisome,” Andresen added.
The backstory:
On Sunday night, police said InfoWars writer Jamie White found his Kia being broken into at his apartment complex in Southeast Austin.
“He interrupted the suspects as they were burglarizing his vehicle or breaking into his vehicle,” APD Homicide Det. Jason Jones said on Wednesday, March 12.
White was shot and died later at the hospital.
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“The individuals responsible for Mr. White’s murder are known to be armed and have no regard for human life,” Detective Jones said.
Police said the suspects were targeting Kias.
What you can do:
Police are still looking for the suspects.
Austin Police urge anyone who has been a victim of vehicle burglary, particularly a Kia, or in the area of Douglas Street and Oltorf Street, to report it to APD.
The Source: Information in this report comes from statistics from Texas DPS and Austin police, and reporting and interviews by FOX 7 Austin CrimeWatch reporter Meredith Aldis.
