Dozens of cars damaged after thieves target Louisville dealership on Dixie Highway

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thieves targeted a car dealership on Dixie Highway.

When Nathan Meister dropped his car off at Hyundai of Louisville recently, he expected it to be serviced, but it was damaged instead.

"The parking lot had been hit by vandalism, and my car was one of the targets," Meister said.

Meister said the thieves broke into the back passenger window and rummaged through the car. They also bashed in the front windshield.

"You expect to get your car back with services agreed upon — or at the very least, left alone — not in worse condition than you brought it in," Meister said.

It’s one of several cars recently hit by thieves who broke into the back lot of the Dixie Highway car dealership.

"Along one side we have a plastic fence," said service manager Dustin Bledsoe. "So, they busted out a couple panels and were getting through that way."

Bledsoe said about 25 cars were damaged, including some new vehicles.

"The customer cars are our biggest concern because ultimately, if your car is not safe here, you're not going to feel safe here," Bledsoe said.

Bledsoe said the dealership fixed the fence, added a new security camera, and hired overnight security.

He’s also hoping Louisville police will increase patrols in the area — something the district’s Metro Councilman Jonathan Joseph is working on.

"We are trying to stretch our resources as much as we can in the area," Joseph said. "And when it comes to patrols, our patrols are active 24/7. But we are stretched a bit thin in regards to that."

Joseph plans to meet with the Mayor’s Office, Louisville Metro Police, and the dealership on Friday to help come up with tangible ways to deter these crimes.

"I think it's important that we understand that, for these thieves, the South End is not their playground," Joseph said. "And we are coming with solutions. It's not just something we want to talk about in the media — it's something we actually want to resolve with our people. Our people deserve it."

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