Photo: Kia
The Kia challenge, which originated from a viral social media post, shows no sign of slowing down, as teenagers in the United States still find it exciting to steal cars for the lulz.
Unfortunately, the teens not getting bored of stealing cars means Kias and Hyundais without an immobilizer continue to carry a gigantic target on their backs.
This is what happened recently in Bratenahl, Ohio, where the local police spotted a stolen Kia on Lakeshore Boulevard. The patrol officer attempted to stop the car, but the driver drove away, leading police on a chase.
As it typically happens with a teenager who jumps behind the wheel for fun, the driver couldn't control the vehicle when it reached the higher speed. The Bratenahl say the driver lost control of the car and "ran into an innocent motorist." Nobody was injured, but fortunately for everybody's safety, this is where the chase ended. Unfortunately, the car was heavily damaged.
If the Kia Boys are good at one thing besides stealing cars, it's running away. Once the stolen Kia hit the other vehicle, the car doors opened, and four teenagers ran away as fast as they could. The police officer caught the driver – a 14-year-old boy who believed that stealing cars was fun.
Police continue the search for the three other vehicle occupants, but it's unclear if they have any suspects.
Meanwhile, if you own a Kia or a Hyundai, it's important to remember that you can always secure the car by installing the anti-theft update released by the carmakers last year. The patch prevents the engine from starting when the original key is not used, so the Kia Boys, despite still getting into your car, typically by smashing the window, and ripping off the steering wheel column, can't drive away.
If your car is not eligible for the software update, it's always a good idea to install anti-theft hardware that could act as a deterrent to thieves. A steering wheel lock can do wonders, as the Kia Boys could spot the device before they actually break your window. However, history has taught us that teenagers don't care about your car, and the Kia Boys sometimes break a window and scratch their targets just because they couldn't steal them.
Kia and Hyundai recommend that all customers visit a dealership or a software update clinic to install the software update. Meanwhile, police advise car owners to install anti-theft devices and, if possible, plant an AirTag in the cabin. Car owners are told to call 911 when they notice the vehicle is missing and provide officers on duty with live location information provided by the Apple device to help with the recovery and increase the chance of catching the thieves.
This is what happened recently in Bratenahl, Ohio, where the local police spotted a stolen Kia on Lakeshore Boulevard. The patrol officer attempted to stop the car, but the driver drove away, leading police on a chase.
As it typically happens with a teenager who jumps behind the wheel for fun, the driver couldn't control the vehicle when it reached the higher speed. The Bratenahl say the driver lost control of the car and "ran into an innocent motorist." Nobody was injured, but fortunately for everybody's safety, this is where the chase ended. Unfortunately, the car was heavily damaged.
If the Kia Boys are good at one thing besides stealing cars, it's running away. Once the stolen Kia hit the other vehicle, the car doors opened, and four teenagers ran away as fast as they could. The police officer caught the driver – a 14-year-old boy who believed that stealing cars was fun.
Police continue the search for the three other vehicle occupants, but it's unclear if they have any suspects.
Meanwhile, if you own a Kia or a Hyundai, it's important to remember that you can always secure the car by installing the anti-theft update released by the carmakers last year. The patch prevents the engine from starting when the original key is not used, so the Kia Boys, despite still getting into your car, typically by smashing the window, and ripping off the steering wheel column, can't drive away.
If your car is not eligible for the software update, it's always a good idea to install anti-theft hardware that could act as a deterrent to thieves. A steering wheel lock can do wonders, as the Kia Boys could spot the device before they actually break your window. However, history has taught us that teenagers don't care about your car, and the Kia Boys sometimes break a window and scratch their targets just because they couldn't steal them.
Kia and Hyundai recommend that all customers visit a dealership or a software update clinic to install the software update. Meanwhile, police advise car owners to install anti-theft devices and, if possible, plant an AirTag in the cabin. Car owners are told to call 911 when they notice the vehicle is missing and provide officers on duty with live location information provided by the Apple device to help with the recovery and increase the chance of catching the thieves.
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