TikTok 'Kia Challenge' fuels rise in using USB cables to steal cars


Olde Hornet

Well-Known Member
  • A TikTok challenge has been linked to spikes in using USB chargers to steal Kia and Hyundai cars.
  • Car thieves called "Kia Boys" post tutorials of how to steal the cars and videos of joy rides on social media.
  • Police in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Texas have reported higher rates of thefts of Kias and Hyundais since the trend began.
Viral "Kia Challenge" videos posted to TikTok and YouTube have led to an increase in car thefts around the country as the instructional videos share the steps of how to steal a car using only a USB charging cord.

The videos, posted online by accounts including 414HypeHouse, show car thieves targeting unlocked Kia and Hyundai vehicles, removing the under-column cowl near the steering wheel and using a USB cord to start the stolen cars. Some videos show the thieves — called "Kia Boys" — riding around in the stolen cars and crashing or dumping them.


In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the trend appears to have begun, thefts of Hyundai and Kia models account for 66% of car thefts, Carbuzz reported, which have grown by 2,500 percent compared to last year.
 
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