Photo: Kia
It's difficult to live in the States and own a Hyundai or Kia without a secure parking garage, as the Kia Boys show no signs of slowing down despite anti-theft patches released by the carmakers.
Lincoln Police discovered this whole thing recently when they responded to an attempted theft of a Hyundai Accent, and instead of finding just a single broken-into car, they came across multiple damaged or stolen Hyundais and Kias throughout the day.
It all started on Wednesday when officers responded to a call that someone attempted to steal a Hyundai Accent. When they arrived at the scene and inspected the damaged Accent, they found ignition damage they estimated at $500 but also something that rapidly caught their attention. A Kia Rio with the windows down was parked on the side of the road, and when they inspected the car, they found similar damage to the ignition.
Kia Boys typically operate by smashing the driver's window, jumping behind the wheel, and ripping off the steering wheel column to expose the ignition. The method went viral a few years ago on social media and allows thieves to drive away in Kia and Hyundai models without an immobilizer using only a screwdriver and a USB cable.
Police tracked down the owner of the abandoned Rio and discovered that the vehicle had just been stolen.
As they investigated the theft, police received a call that another Hyundai was stolen. This time, the target was a 2013 Elantra. Officers arrived at the scene but, on their way, discovered another Kia Rio on the side of the road, again with damage to the ignition. The car was also reported as stolen a few hours earlier.
It didn't stop there. Police eventually learned that three other cars were targeted by the Kia Boys – two Kia Fortes and a Hyundai Elantra. All presented similar damage.
All these successful or attempted thefts are the work of the Kia Boys, who operate using the method that went viral on social media. While no information has been offered, some of their attempts likely failed due to the cars already being patched – the software update released by the carmakers blocks the engine from starting, so the Kia Boys can't drive away in these cars; however, they still cause damage worth hundreds of dollars after breaking the windows to get in.
Hyundai and Kia urge car owners to install the software update and additional hardware that could prevent thieves from stealing their vehicles. The patch is free and can be obtained from any dealership, but the two carmakers also set up software clinics across the United States to make it more convenient to install the update. The process takes approximately 30 minutes.
It all started on Wednesday when officers responded to a call that someone attempted to steal a Hyundai Accent. When they arrived at the scene and inspected the damaged Accent, they found ignition damage they estimated at $500 but also something that rapidly caught their attention. A Kia Rio with the windows down was parked on the side of the road, and when they inspected the car, they found similar damage to the ignition.
Kia Boys typically operate by smashing the driver's window, jumping behind the wheel, and ripping off the steering wheel column to expose the ignition. The method went viral a few years ago on social media and allows thieves to drive away in Kia and Hyundai models without an immobilizer using only a screwdriver and a USB cable.
Police tracked down the owner of the abandoned Rio and discovered that the vehicle had just been stolen.
As they investigated the theft, police received a call that another Hyundai was stolen. This time, the target was a 2013 Elantra. Officers arrived at the scene but, on their way, discovered another Kia Rio on the side of the road, again with damage to the ignition. The car was also reported as stolen a few hours earlier.
It didn't stop there. Police eventually learned that three other cars were targeted by the Kia Boys – two Kia Fortes and a Hyundai Elantra. All presented similar damage.
All these successful or attempted thefts are the work of the Kia Boys, who operate using the method that went viral on social media. While no information has been offered, some of their attempts likely failed due to the cars already being patched – the software update released by the carmakers blocks the engine from starting, so the Kia Boys can't drive away in these cars; however, they still cause damage worth hundreds of dollars after breaking the windows to get in.
Hyundai and Kia urge car owners to install the software update and additional hardware that could prevent thieves from stealing their vehicles. The patch is free and can be obtained from any dealership, but the two carmakers also set up software clinics across the United States to make it more convenient to install the update. The process takes approximately 30 minutes.
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