That is a strange situation—but it’s actually not as random as it feels. What you’ve described lines up pretty closely with a few known car-theft patterns, especially with modern keyless vehicles like a 2019 Hyundai Ioniq.

Let’s break down what most likely happened and why.

🚗 What probably happened

1. Opportunistic theft (very likely)

The simplest explanation is often the right one:

• They found a way into the car (unlocked, or electronically unlocked)
• Drove it a short distance
• Realised something made it too risky to keep

So they ditched it quickly.

Why abandon it so fast?

• You might have returned sooner than expected
• They noticed movement / lights in the building
• They couldn’t properly “secure” the car (see below)

🔑 2. Keyless relay attack (very plausible)

If your Ioniq has keyless entry/start, this is a big one.

How it works:

• One thief stands near your flat with a signal booster
• Another stands by your car
• They “relay” your key’s signal → car thinks the key is present
• Car unlocks and starts

But here’s the catch: 👉 Once the engine is turned off, they often can’t restart it

So what might have happened:

• They drove it off
• Realised they couldn’t restart it later
• Abandoned it somewhere nearby

That would explain:

• Short distance (200m)
• Engine still running when you found it
• No attempt to take valuables

🧪 3. “Testing” the car

Some thieves don’t immediately steal—they probe vehicles:

• Check if it’s easy to access
• See if it has tracking or immobilisers
• Decide if it’s worth coming back for

But something spooked them:

• You returning
• Too exposed location
• Not the right spec (older Hyundai vs high-value target)

🧠 4. Why your car specifically?

It’s less about your car and more about:

• Availability (parked on street)
• Opportunity window (you were gone briefly)

• Possibly:

• Key signal reachable from your flat

• Or it was accidentally left unlocked

A 2019 Ioniq isn’t a “dream target,” but it’s:

• Easy to move
• Common
• Not heavily protected compared to newer models

⚠️ The biggest red flag in your story

This part matters most:

Engine still running when they left

That strongly suggests:

• They couldn’t reliably control the car long-term
• They didn’t want to risk turning it off

That leans heavily toward relay theft or failed theft attempt, not a joyride.

🧼 Your plan (service + clean) — good instinct, but add this:

🔍 Do these checks ASAP:

• Check if you still have both keys

• Look for:

• New devices under dashboard (rare but worth checking)

• Any unfamiliar Bluetooth connections in the car

• Review your home setup:

• Where do you keep your car keys?

🔐 Protect yourself going forward

1. Faraday pouch (very important)

• Blocks key signal completely
• Prevents relay attacks

2. Steering wheel lock

• Old-school, but very effective deterrent
• Makes your car a less attractive target

3. Key placement

• Don’t leave keys near:

• Front door

• Windows

4. Check for software updates / recalls

Hyundais (and similar cars) have had known vulnerabilities in some markets.

🧠 Why they didn’t take anything

That actually supports the theory:

• They weren’t after valuables
• They were after the car itself
• When that failed → they bailed fast

🎯 Bottom line

This wasn’t random, and it wasn’t really a joyride.

👉 Most likely: A failed or interrupted theft attempt—probably involving keyless entry/relay—where they realised they couldn’t keep the car and ditched it quickly.