900 Engines Allegedly Stolen from Kia Factory in Inside Job

      Thieves have stolen more than 900 engines from a Kia factory in India in what is being characterized as a well-organized internal operation that has lasted for at least five years. The methods used to remove the engines from the factory and their final destinations remain unclear, even weeks after Kia Motors submitted a formal report to local authorities.

      The engines were taken from Kia’s assembly plant located near Penukonda in the Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh. The ongoing thefts came to light after the plant conducted an audit of its operations for 2024, according to the Times of India. Investigators are still working to understand how the thieves were able to make off with 900 fully assembled engines without being noticed. While these are not massive parts, they are certainly not small enough to carry easily, either.

      Given the magnitude of the theft, it is not surprising that investigators are focusing on employees and individuals who had regular access to the incoming and outgoing inventory of supplies.

      “The thefts began in 2020. It has been an ongoing issue for nearly five years. We will conduct a thorough investigation,” a police spokesperson told PTI. “This is not the work of outsiders; it originates from within. No small component can leave the premises without the management's awareness. We are looking into who may have been involved,” the spokesperson added.

      “We have conducted a preliminary inquiry, identified certain gaps, and are now targeting former employees, though we suspect that some current employees may also be implicated.”

      Initially, the police believed the engines were being rerouted during transport from other manufacturing sites, but the focus has now shifted to the plant itself, where Kia produces the Sonet, Syros, Seltos, and Carens for the local market.

      The plant has an annual production capacity of between 300,000 and 400,000 vehicles, which helps explain how hundreds of engines could go missing over several years.

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