>>> BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU PARK YOUR CAR, IT MIGHT NOT BE THERE WHEN YOU COME BACK.

THAT IS BECAUSE CHICAGO, LIKE MUCH OF THE NATION HE SEEING AN ASTRONOMICAL RISE IN CAR THEFTS SINCE 2020 WITH NO LET UP IN SIGHT.

THE CHICAGO POLICE HAVE LINKS RECENT ROBBERY SPREES TO STOLEN VEHICLES.

THIS COMES AS CARMAKERS KIA AND HYUNDAI FACE -- FOR THEIR CARS.

WE SET OUT TO FIND WHAT ACCELERATING THIS CITYWIDE CRISIS.

>> SO FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN SEE THAT IT'S PRETTY MUCH BROKEN WITH THE GLASS RIGHT THERE.

THERE'S PROBABLY SOME INSIDE THE VEHICLE ON THE FLOOR OR THE SEAT.

>> Reporter: RUNS THE STOLEN CAR DIRECTORY, A VOLUNTEER EFFORT TO LOCATE STOLEN VEHICLES AND ALERT OWNERS ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE.

HE FOUND THIS STOLEN HYUNDAI IN AN ALLEY NEAR THE INTERSECTION NEAR NORTH AVENUE AND CICERO .

ALL IT TOOK WAS A SCREWDRIVER IN A USB CORD TO START THE CAR.

>> SEE THAT LITTLE NOTCH?

>> THAT LITTLE MIDDLE THING GOES INSIDE THE USB ADAPTER.

AND THEN IT TURNS RIGHT OVER.

>> Reporter: HE SAYS HE SPENT SEVERAL HOURS A WEEK SCOURING ALLEYWAYS, EMPTY LOTS, AND SIDE STREETS OF THE WEST AND NORTHWEST SIDES FOR STOLEN VEHICLES AND SAYS THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN TELLS .

>> BROKEN BACK WINDOWS, HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN THERE FOR, SOMETIMES, YOU WILL SEE A CAR PARK SOMEWHERE FOR OVER , I DON'T KNOW, A MONTH?

>> Reporter: WHEN HE FINDS A VEHICLE THAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS, HE WILL RUN THE PLATE TO THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT STOLEN CAR DATA PLACE.

>> STOLEN PLAY, SEE.

>> Reporter: AND HE'S FAIRLY BUSY THESE DAYS.

CPD CRIME STATISTICS SHOW A RISE IN CAR THEFTS, TWO MORE THAN 21,000 LAST YEAR.

THAT IS A 139% SPIKE IN JUST THREE YEARS.

THIS YEAR'S NUMBERS ARE ON TRACK TO BE EVEN HIGHER.

>> IT LOOKS MOST LIKELY THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO BE KIA OR HYUNDAI.

NOT ALL MODELS BUT CERTAIN YEARS AND MAKES ARE VULNERABLE TO THEFTS.

>> Reporter: ERNESTO LOPEZ IS A RESEARCH SPECIALIST FOR THE COUNCIL ON CRIMINAL SUSPECTS.

HE SAYS CHICAGO'S SPIKE NEARS A NATIONWIDE TREND, WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN SPARKED BY A VIRAL TIKTOK VIDEO.

>> THAT TIKTOK CHALLENGE, HOW TO STEAL KEYS FROM KEYS IN HYUNDAI'S.

THAT WAS A BIG THING.

WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO, WE ARE OUT OF SCHOOL FOR COVID, WE MIGHT AS WELL.

>> Reporter: BUT OTHER MAKES AND MODELS ARE VULNERABLE, TOO.

CRIME STATISTICS SHOW THAT NO CORNER OF THE CITY IS SAFE.

LAST DECEMBER, BINA DAVID, A PROFESSIONAL SINGER, LEFT HER CAR PARKED BEFORE EIGHT MUSIC -- WHEN SHE CAME BACK, THE CAR WAS GONE.

>> IT WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I PARKED IT.

>> Reporter: WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT WOULD BE YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SAW THAT?

>> DISBELIEF.

I LITERALLY HAD BEEN MOUTH AGAPE.

>> Reporter: DAVID DOCUMENTED HER PROBLEMS ON TIKTOK.

MONTHS AFTER RECLAIMING FULL INCH -- AUTO IMPOUND LOT IN HAMMOND, INDIANA.

SHE WENT TO SEE WHAT SHAPE THE CAR WAS IN.

>> THERE IS GOT IN HERE!

THERE WAS A RIFLE IN THERE.

THE SADDEST THING WAS CHILDREN'S DVDS AND JUICE BOXES IN THERE.

>> JOYRIDING OR EVEN BEING SOLD.

>> Reporter: ACCORDING TO CPD STATISTICS, MOST SUSPECTS GET AWAY FROM THE INITIAL CRIME.

LAST YEAR, THE CLEARANCE RATE FOR SOLVING MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT WAS A PALTRY 4%.

SOURCES CLOSE TO CPD SAY THE DEPARTMENT DEEMPHASIZES SOLVING THESE CRIMES , AND DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO MORE SERIOUS CRIMES.

MOTORS CAN DO A FEW THINGS TO PROTECT THEIR CARS.

BY AN ALARM, A CONVERSION FROM KEY TO PUSHBUTTON STARTER, OR JUST GET AN OLD-FASHIONED CLUB.

>> IT'S THE KIND OF PROTECTION -- >> BINA DAVID HAS SINCE REPLACED HER VEHICLE AND PARKED IN THE SAME GARAGE AND SAYS HER LUCK HAS NOT IMPROVED.

>> WHEN I CAME BACK, THE GLOVE BACKS HAD BEEN OPENED BUT NOTHING WAS MISSING EXCEPT FOR MY HOMEMADE LUNCH.

>> Reporter: TELL ME WHAT THAT WAS.

>> CHICKEN CURRY IN A HANDFUL OF CHERRIES .

>> Reporter: HE SAYS HE WILL STAY ON THE PROWL INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT PUTS MORE EMPHASIS ON SOLVING THESE CRIMES.

>> I STILL HAVE TO PAY BILLS, SO BASICALLY IT'S NOT MY FORM OF INCOME.

I WISH IT WAS.

>> Reporter: WHAT YOU DO IT THEN?

>> I DON'T LIKE SEEING STOLEN CARS.

PEOPLE NEED THEM .

>> AND NONPROFIT CALLED THE