900 Kia car engines stolen: What Andhra cops revealed about daring heist at Penukonda plant

As many as 900 car engines have been reportedly stolen from the Kia Motors manufacturing plant near Penukonda in Sri Sathya Sai district, Andhra Pradesh, over the past five years.

Kia runs a manufacturing facility in Penukonda, located in Sri Sathyasai district, where authorities believe the thefts began nearly five years ago. The company lodged the formal complaint on March 19.

According to the police, Kia Motors was reluctant to register a formal complaint initially and urged the police department to investigate the case informally. However, the police department made it clear that the case could not be investigated without a formal complaint. Later, the company formally lodged a complaint at the Penukonda industrial estate police station on March 19, based on which a case was registered and the investigation launched.

Penukonda Sub-Divisional Police Officer Y Venkateshwarlu said that the police have launched a thorough investigation to crack the five-year continuous theft. “The thefts began in 2020 and have continued over the past five years. We are launching a thorough investigation,” Venkateshwarlu told news agency PTI.

According to him, initial findings have confirmed the theft of 900 engines, which were stolen both during transit to the manufacturing plant and from within the facility itself.

Police suspect the theft operation was an inside job and are directing their investigation toward both current and former employees of the company. “It is not outsiders — it is from within. Not even a small part can leave the premises without the management's knowledge. We are investigating who was involved,” Venkateshwarlu said.

He further added, “Our preliminary inquiry revealed certain gaps in the system. We are now focusing on former employees, though we believe some current staff may also be implicated.” Special investigation teams have been formed, and multiple records have been seized as part of the ongoing probe.

On the other hand, Kia Motors declined to comment on the matter, citing the ongoing police investigation. However, the company clarified that production at its Penukonda manufacturing facility has remained unaffected despite reports of around 900 car engines being stolen.

“Our annual production ranges between 3 to 4 lakh vehicles, depending on market demand. The theft of 900 engines has had no impact on our output,” a Kia Motors spokesperson told The Times of India.