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NDSU

Attempted theft of a red Hyundai in the RE Lot

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Under Investigation

NDSU Police posted that a red 2013 Hyundai Sonata in the RE Lot had its ignition tampered with between 6:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. April 23.

Alerts
1
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
North Dakota State University
Public R1 · ND
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NDSU Campus Emergency Notification System
Official alert policy
Read when and how NDSU says it will use NDSU CENS / NotiFind: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatim1776 chars
April 24, 2026 - Motor Vehicle Theft Attempted Sometime between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026, an attempted motor vehicle theft occurred in the RE Lot at 1400 14th St N. A red 2013 Hyundai Sonata was entered, and the ignition was tampered with. The method used is consistent with a widely reported trend involving certain vehicle models. Ongoing Pattern: University Police have recently responded to multiple attempted and completed motor vehicle thefts involving similar methods. The risk remains ongoing, particularly for vehicles known to be targeted in this trend. Investigation Update: University Police are actively investigating these incidents. Several suspects have been identified, and cases are being moved forward for charging as applicable. We have also increased patrols and directed enforcement in parking areas. PLEASE CALL IMMEDIATELY: Some of these incidents have been witnessed in progress, but we often receive calls after suspects leave. If you see someone trying door handles, looking into vehicles, tampering with a steering column/ignition, or otherwise acting suspiciously around parked cars, please call us at 231-8998 right away. Immediate reporting greatly increases the chance of apprehending the suspects and recovering vehicles. Vehicle Theft Prevention: Lock your vehicle and take your keys/FOB – do not leave vehicles running unattended. Remove valuables or keep them out of sight. Check with your vehicle manufacturer/dealer for anti-theft software updates or immobilizer/steering wheel lock options, especially if your model is known to be affected. Home - Hyundai https://hyundaiantitheft.com/ If you have information that would assist the police investigation, you are asked to call the NDSU Police at 231-8998.
Verify this quote
NDSU Police Safety Awareness Notices: April 24 2026 RE Lot attempted MVTndsu.edufind archived copies
Dual independent HTML fetch 2026-08-24. sha256 d3c1ff2f88d9e8ba417253087476600b7c1f8190e5f68eaa0a4aa6a24d541ed2. Flattened from the April 24 accordion only. En dash after FOB preserved. SPN 429.
Distinct incident from 2026-05-01-north-dakota-state-university-off-campus-fraternity-sexual-assault: different type.
Distinct from the April 19 completed RE-lot Hyundai theft on the same page (different date and completed vs attempted).
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, SuperGrok Heavy 4.5 (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

April 24, 2026 - Motor Vehicle Theft Attempted Sometime between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026, an attempted motor vehicle theft occurred in the RE Lot at 1400 14th St N. A red 2013 Hyundai Sonata was entered, and the ignition was tampered with. The method used is consistent with a widely reported trend involving certain vehicle models. Ongoing Pattern: University Police have recently responded to multiple attempted and completed motor vehicle thefts involving similar methods. The risk remains ongoing, particularly for vehicles known to be targeted in this trend. Investigation Update: University Police are actively investigating these incidents. Several suspects have been identified, and cases are being moved forward for charging as applicable. We have also increased patrols and directed enforcement in parking areas. PLEASE CALL IMMEDIATELY: Some of these incidents have been witnessed in progress, but we often receive calls after suspects leave. If you see someone trying door handles, looking into vehicles, tampering with a steering column/ignition, or otherwise acting suspiciously around parked cars, please call us at 231-8998 right away. Immediate reporting greatly increases the chance of apprehending the suspects and recovering vehicles. Vehicle Theft Prevention: Lock your vehicle and take your keys/FOB – do not leave vehicles running unattended. Remove valuables or keep them out of sight. Check with your vehicle manufacturer/dealer for anti-theft software updates or immobilizer/steering wheel lock options, especially if your model is known to be affected. Home - Hyundai https://hyundaiantitheft.com/ If you have information that would assist the police investigation, you are asked to call the NDSU Police at 231-8998.

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    University Police and NDSU Police are named as the investigating and publishing authority.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "University Police", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "University Police" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "University Police" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "University Police".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "University Police" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "University Police", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "University Police" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "University Police".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "University Police" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "University Police".
    11. present: The body names it with "University Police", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "University Police".
    13. present: Because the alert says "University Police", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "University Police" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "University Police" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "University Police" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "University Police" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "University Police" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "University Police" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "University Police" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "University Police".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "University Police".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "University Police" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "University Police" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "University Police" is on the page, so present.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    attempted motor vehicle theft is a specific named offense, with ignition tampering described.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "attempted motor vehicle theft", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "attempted motor vehicle theft" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "attempted motor vehicle theft" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "attempted motor vehicle theft" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "attempted motor vehicle theft", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "attempted motor vehicle theft" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "attempted motor vehicle theft" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    11. present: The body names it with "attempted motor vehicle theft", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    13. present: Because the alert says "attempted motor vehicle theft", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "attempted motor vehicle theft" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "attempted motor vehicle theft" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "attempted motor vehicle theft" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "attempted motor vehicle theft" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "attempted motor vehicle theft" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "attempted motor vehicle theft" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "attempted motor vehicle theft" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "attempted motor vehicle theft".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "attempted motor vehicle theft" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "attempted motor vehicle theft" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "attempted motor vehicle theft" is on the page, so present.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    the RE Lot at 1400 14th St N is a named place.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    11. present: The body names it with "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    13. present: Because the alert says "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "RE Lot at 1400 14th St N" is on the page, so present.
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Recipients are told to call 231-8998 immediately if they see tampering or suspicious activity around parked cars.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "please call us at 231-8998 right away", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "please call us at 231-8998 right away" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "please call us at 231-8998 right away" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "please call us at 231-8998 right away", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "please call us at 231-8998 right away" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    11. present: The body names it with "please call us at 231-8998 right away", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    13. present: Because the alert says "please call us at 231-8998 right away", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "please call us at 231-8998 right away" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "please call us at 231-8998 right away" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "please call us at 231-8998 right away" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "please call us at 231-8998 right away" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "please call us at 231-8998 right away".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "please call us at 231-8998 right away" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "please call us at 231-8998 right away" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "please call us at 231-8998 right away" is on the page, so present.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026 is an explicit time window.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    11. present: The body names it with "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    13. present: Because the alert says "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "between 6:00 PM and 10:30 PM Thursday, April 23, 2026" is on the page, so present.
  • Impactpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    The notice says the risk remains ongoing for targeted vehicle models.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: The deciding words are "The risk remains ongoing", so this element is present.
    2. present: This read treats "The risk remains ongoing" as enough to mark the element present.
    3. present: Quoted evidence "The risk remains ongoing" is the specific language that carries the element.
    4. present: I mark present because the alert includes "The risk remains ongoing".
    5. present: Presence follows from the phrase "The risk remains ongoing" in the body.
    6. present: The message supplies "The risk remains ongoing", which satisfies the element on this pass.
    7. present: On this independent read, "The risk remains ongoing" is the hook that makes the element present.
    8. present: Element is present: the text itself contains "The risk remains ongoing".
    9. present: A first-time reader would see "The risk remains ongoing" and know the element is there.
    10. present: Coding present from the explicit wording "The risk remains ongoing".
    11. present: The body names it with "The risk remains ongoing", so the vote is present.
    12. present: This pass votes present on the strength of "The risk remains ongoing".
    13. present: Because the alert says "The risk remains ongoing", the element is not missing.
    14. present: The quoted span "The risk remains ongoing" is sufficient and does not need outside knowledge.
    15. present: Present: "The risk remains ongoing" is in the transmitted text.
    16. present: I am scoring present after locating "The risk remains ongoing" in the message.
    17. present: The element is carried by "The risk remains ongoing" rather than by implication alone.
    18. present: Direct language "The risk remains ongoing" is what this pass uses for a present vote.
    19. present: Nothing in the rest of the text undoes "The risk remains ongoing" as the present cue.
    20. present: This reviewer finds "The risk remains ongoing" and therefore records present.
    21. present: The alert is not silent here: it has "The risk remains ongoing".
    22. present: Present vote rests on the visible words "The risk remains ongoing".
    23. present: From the four corners of the message, "The risk remains ongoing" establishes the element.
    24. present: I quote "The risk remains ongoing" as the sole basis for present on this pass.
    25. present: Independent judgment: "The risk remains ongoing" is on the page, so present.

Coded by SuperGrok Heavy 4.5

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

NDSU posted the notice on its Safety Awareness Notices page. Additional RE-lot and R-lot Hyundai notices remain queued.
Analysis

Key Findings

A red 2013 Hyundai Sonata in the RE Lot had its ignition tampered with.
The notice describes an ongoing pattern and asks for immediate 231-8998 calls.
Outcome
Attempted theft; ignition tampered. Notice says several suspects have been identified across a related pattern. Distinct from the April 19 completed RE-lot theft on the same page.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. Official
    NDSU Safety Awareness Notices
    ndsu.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "North Dakota State University: Attempted theft of a red Hyundai in the RE Lot." Incident of April 24, 2026. Added August 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/north-dakota-state-university-re-lot-hyundai-theft-attempt-2026-04-24/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
public-r1north-dakotandsuthefttimely-warning2026Under Investigation
Added August 2026Updated August 2026Via ingestion