Kia and Hyundai owners across the country are fed up. This year some cities have seen an increased rise in vehicle theft. In Minneapolis, police say it’s all because of a social media challenge.
Fox 11 reports that thieves are targeting these vehicles because they are much easier to steal. Kia and Hyundai models made between 2010 and 2021 without a push button to start can be hot-wired with only a USB cable and a screwdriver.
A stolen car is the last thing anyone wants to deal with. But a car being stolen three times in one year? That’s a nightmare come true for Azaela Wilburg since she purchased her Kia Sportage last May.
In December, Minnesota Police Chief Brian O’Hara said kids stealing these cars are as young as 12.
“This problem started because a Tik Tok challenge happened earlier this year which was prevalent around young people,” O’Hara said.
Videos on social media show people stealing the cars and taking off with them, sometimes driving recklessly through city streets.
In Philadelphia, 21% of the stolen cars in 2022 were Kias or Hyundais. In Minneapolis, the most updated police data shows 33% of the cars stolen this year have been Hyundais and Kias. In Columbus, Ohio, it was nearly 45 percent. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, 49 percent. And in Milwaukee, Kias and Hyundais made up a whopping 58% of stolen cars.
