Sept. 19, 2022—Auto glass repair shops in the Memphis, Tennessee, area are reporting a high demand for glass repair despite the presence of a supply shortage. 

According to News 3 WREG, the glass needed to make repairs and replacements in certain vehicle models is proving difficult to get ahold of. Some shops are sitting comfortably with a vast inventory of glass at the ready, but wait times are long for certain vehicle models.

This supply shortage impacts cars that include Kia models, which Don Gentry of Gentry Glass said are difficult to get glass for right now. This is proving to be a problem because Kia models are being heavily targeted by vehicle thieves. 

“I don’t think there is any Kia door glass out there anywhere,” Gentry said to News 3 WREG. ‘I had some people call about a Kia Optima, and I went to my vendors nationwide, and there were like three in the whole country."

According to the Memphis police, there is an average of about 500 vehicle break-ins per month in the area. Gentry said his shop gets 5-10 calls per day for break-in related glass repairs. Another shop called Jack Morris Auto Glass simply said that their phones essentially ring off the hook for these repairs.