NEW YORK New York City on Tuesday sued Hyundai Motor Co and Kia Corp, accusing the Korean automakers of negligence and creating a public nuisance by selling vehicles that are too easy to steal.

The complaint filed in Manhattan federal court seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

New York, the most populous U.S. city, joins several other major cities that have sued Hyundai and Kia over the thefts, including San Diego, Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Seattle.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Chris Reese)