Kia Boys, a TikTok trend, is behind the increase in Hyundai and Kia vehicle thefts. Here’s more on the dangerous fad.
Kia Boys: Another dangeros TikTok trend
“Kia Boys”, the new social media challenge, shows how USB charging cables can start cars that don’t have push-start buttons. Videos on various social media posts show people breaking the region under dash panels of cars and using a USB cord to start the cars.
In a YoutTube video, a man claiming to use the same method states, “if you have a Hyundai or a Kia, you’re never supposed to leave a plug-in piece like this.” The spread of these tutorials is behind the increasing number of vehicle thefts in some parts of the US.
As per a Facebook post by the Hilliard Division of Police in Ohio, 15 cars have been stolen since May. Out of them, nine cars were either Hyundais or Kias. “For these kids, it’s a game and it’s a status symbol to see how many they can steal in a day, and then they’re using these cars to commit a series of other crimes. What they’re doing is peeling the column and using a USB — or whatever they can find nearby — to turn the ignition and then steal the car,” stated Commander Duane Mabry. Mabry is with the Columbus Division of Police.
More on the situation
According to a statement issued by a Kia spokesperson on Monday, the company is aware of the danger of the TikTok trend. “All 2022 models and trims have an immobilizer applied either at the beginning of the year or as a running change. All Kia vehicles for sale in the U.S. meet or exceed Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.”
TikTok stated the platform “does not condone this behavior which categorically violates our policies, and will be removed if found on our platform”. The police department also encouraged people to use theft prevention tools. Additionally, they suggested activating alarm systems and not keeping valuables in their cars.