A pair of young suspects — just 12 and 13 years old — have been arrested after Glendale Police say they were connected to a string of Kia and Hyundai auto thefts across west Glendale.
The investigation began after detectives noticed a spike in thefts involving the two vehicle brands. On Aug. 12, 2026, officers responding to reports of a suspicious vehicle spotted two boys running through a neighborhood, jumping fences and entering residential yards.
Their attempt to hide didn’t last long.
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Police deployed a drone, which located the boys hiding underneath an RV trailer in a residential backyard. Officers took both suspects into custody without further incident.
During interviews, investigators said both boys admitted involvement in multiple vehicle thefts.
According to police, the 13-year-old told detectives he had been stealing vehicles for about two months and described using a screwdriver to defeat the ignition systems of Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
The 12-year-old told investigators he participated with the older suspect in approximately eight vehicle thefts during the summer. Detectives ultimately linked the pair to at least 11 vehicle thefts between Aug. 4 and Aug. 12.
Investigators recovered multiple stolen vehicles during the investigation, including a Kia Optima and Hyundai Elantra whose owners had not yet reported them stolen.
The 13-year-old was booked into the Glendale City Jail on five counts of theft of means of transportation, one count of attempted theft of means of transportation, possession of burglary tools and criminal trespassing.
The 12-year-old was booked on six counts of unlawful use of means of transportation and criminal trespassing.
The case remains under investigation, and Glendale Police said additional charges could be filed as detectives review evidence and investigate other vehicle thefts that may be connected to the suspects.estigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed as detectives continue reviewing evidence and investigating related vehicle thefts.
