11/19/2023
For the past few weeks, the Hinesville Police Department’s criminal investigation division has been investigating a series of entering autos and auto thefts. The vehicles’ make and the damage done to the steering columns in earlier incidents match a series of Kia and Hyundai auto thefts around the country, referred to as the TikTok Kia Challenge.
Although the TikTok Kia challenge is nothing new, it’s new to Hinesville. This trend, finally reaching southeast Georgia, originated in Milwaukee a few years ago when tech-savvy teens discovered an electronic security flaw in Kias and Hyundais. They shared a hot-wiring method used to bypass a car’s ignition system on social media with a video of the car thieves driving recklessly through the streets of Milwaukee, endangering lives, and deliberately crashing the stolen vehicles. The more views they received, the more daring their stunts became, and the more other teens began mimicking the Kia boys.
Unlike traditional gangs, the Kia Boys are not a gang. They do not possess hierarchical bureaucracies, initiation rituals, or capital. They are a decentralized band of underage car thieves, sometimes called the Kia Boyz (Milwaukee) or the Real Kia Boys (Columbus). Teenagers who steal Kias and Hyundais and go on joyrides are called "Kia Boys." Most of them are believed to be between the ages of 12 and 15 - too young to have a driver's license.
The Hinesville Police Department has already made several arrests in Kia and Hyundai-related incidents, and we will continue to have our marked patrol units and unmarked crime suppression units patrolling our streets.
To help prevent your Kia and Hyundai from being stolen, take the following precautions:
Get an ignition immobilizer.
Park your car in a well-lit area.
If you can, park in a locked garage.
Use a steering wheel lock.
We also recommend visiting the following website for more information:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/hyundai-kia-campaign-prevent-vehicle-theft
Both Kia and Hyundai have a website where you can check whether your vehicle is eligible for a free update:
https://ksupport.kiausa.com/ConsumerAffairs/SWLD
Hyundai and Kia develop free anti-theft software update for millions of their vehicles amid TikTok social media challenge.