Key highlights
- 900 Kia car engines stolen from Andhra Pradesh factory
- Initial reports suggest involvement of few current and ex-employees
- Engine theft occurred over the past 5 years in a planned and phased manner
In a rather bizarre incident, Kia has reported to the police authorities of Andhra Pradesh regarding the theft of 900 engines from its factory. Read below about this theft and how it took place.
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900 Kia car engines stolen, but how?
It was the FY2024’s final audit in March that uncovered a shocking or rather bizarre theft at Kia’s Andhra Pradesh-based production facility. The officials of Kia discovered that nearly 900 car engines were stolen for over 5 years without getting discovered.
So, how did it take place? While the authorities are investigating the theft, it is being rumoured that this has happened in a very systematic and planned manner. In fact, the massive theft took place with the involvement of some current and ex-employees, who are being identified.
As per an online report, the theft took place after tampering with the records that track the production of parts. Meanwhile, it is being said that initially, Kia officials were hesitant to report the theft and even conducted a self-probe before the matter was officially handed over to the authorities.
As of now, the details, like which engines were mostly targeted and how it exactly took place, are under investigation. Once the suspects are in custody, the complete details will surface.
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Our verdict
Thefts and misplacements are a part of the production process, and it has been happening for years with different manufacturers. However, stealing an entire engine without being noticed for 5 years is an impressive yet criminal excellence. More details are awaited regarding the culprits.