Kia Boys Steal Cars, Try To Run Over People, Throw Beer Cans at People, Rob Stores

The boys, aged 12 to 16, began their series of crimes in late April when they stole a 2014 Kia Rio. Police didn't share specifics on how they operated, but it's believed they used the infamous Kia hack that involves ripping off the steering wheel column and hotwiring the vehicle to start the engine.

The boys drove away minutes later, and their next stop was a nearby neighborhood, where they started throwing bottles at a parked car. They eventually set the car on fire, and by the time the police arrived, the teens abandoned the stolen Rio and hacked another Kia, this time a 2013 Soul.

They drove away and only stopped to beat a homeless man before parking in front of a store to break its windows. They also ran inside to steal beer, but they decided they needed more alcohol, so they also drove to a nearby supermarket where they stole whiskey bottles.

All the teens jumped inside the stolen Kia Soul and continued their adventure, this time trying to hit a woman repeatedly. They asked the woman to give them her backpack and three beer cans at a man who wanted to defend the lady.

Later the same day, the boys wanted to abandon the car and steal another Kia. However, the theft failed, as the engine didn't start, likely because the vulnerability was already patched. It didn't mean the boys would go home, as the series of crimes continued with a robbery and another attempt to run over a man.

Police couldn't identify the boys right away, but a few days later, investigators received information about a group of teenagers who tried to abandon a stolen car reported as having been involved in a robbery. The officers rushed to the scene but spotted the teenagers driving away in another stolen car. The chase started, with law enforcement involving a helicopter communicating with officers on the ground to catch the teenagers.

The 15-year-old driver eventually crashed into another vehicle, and police immediately arrested four teenagers in the car. A fifth member of the gang was arrested minutes later after police tracked him down from the helicopter hiding in a nearby backyard. The local media reveals that a 12-year-old teenager has already been released and has not been charged.

The boys have been charged with assault, burglary, and car theft, but police continue the investigation and could issue additional charges due to the long series of crimes they committed in recent weeks.