Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The Kia Boys challenge, which emerged several years ago on social media, shows no signs of slowing down. Many people believed that Kia's and Hyundai's efforts to patch the vulnerability, combined with the Kia Boys eventually getting bored with this years-old challenge, would lead to fewer cars being targeted by teens.
Unfortunately, this isn't what is happening these days, as the Kia Boys look prepared to change the difficulty level.
An incident that recently took place in Baton Rouge proved that Kia cars still aren't safe, even when parked in what is supposed to be a secured parking spot.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office received a report that car thieves might be trying to break into vehicles parked at the All Star Kia of Baton Rouge dealership. The teens were trying to steal not one, not two, not three, but 16 Kias parked at the dealership.
Oddly, the dealership said there was no surveillance footage of the theft attempt, but the good news is that the Kia Boys ran away empty-handed. Police officers arrived at the scene fast, so the teens didn't have enough time to drive away in any of the cars.
The vehicles that the Kia Boys were targeting didn't even belong to the dealer, as they were brought in by customers who waited for them to be serviced.
Meanwhile, Kia, Hyundai, and authorities in several regions struggle to block or at least make it harder for the Kia Boys to steal these vehicles. The two carmakers have already released anti-theft patches that prevent the engine from starting in cars without an immobilizer, and everybody is urged to visit dealerships to install them as soon as possible. The carmakers also set up software update clinics across the country, providing customers with one extra option to patch their cars.
The update takes only 30 minutes and is free of charge.
Police claim car owners should park in well-lit areas and install additional anti-theft equipment in their vehicles, including steering wheel locks. AirTags could also help, providing owners with up-to-date location information and assisting police in their recovery attempt.
Despite all these efforts to block the Kia Boys from driving away in cars they find on the street, the number of thefts and car break-ins remains high. Many teens attempt to start Kias and Hyundais without checking the model or the model year, sometimes realizing it's a push-to-start after breaking in. They walk away empty-handed, leaving behind damage worth thousands of dollars after breaking the window and ripping off the steering wheel column to expose the ignition.
Kia also gives away stickers to let potential thieves know that a vehicle has already been patched against the Kia Boys challenge.
An incident that recently took place in Baton Rouge proved that Kia cars still aren't safe, even when parked in what is supposed to be a secured parking spot.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office received a report that car thieves might be trying to break into vehicles parked at the All Star Kia of Baton Rouge dealership. The teens were trying to steal not one, not two, not three, but 16 Kias parked at the dealership.
Oddly, the dealership said there was no surveillance footage of the theft attempt, but the good news is that the Kia Boys ran away empty-handed. Police officers arrived at the scene fast, so the teens didn't have enough time to drive away in any of the cars.
The vehicles that the Kia Boys were targeting didn't even belong to the dealer, as they were brought in by customers who waited for them to be serviced.
Meanwhile, Kia, Hyundai, and authorities in several regions struggle to block or at least make it harder for the Kia Boys to steal these vehicles. The two carmakers have already released anti-theft patches that prevent the engine from starting in cars without an immobilizer, and everybody is urged to visit dealerships to install them as soon as possible. The carmakers also set up software update clinics across the country, providing customers with one extra option to patch their cars.
The update takes only 30 minutes and is free of charge.
Police claim car owners should park in well-lit areas and install additional anti-theft equipment in their vehicles, including steering wheel locks. AirTags could also help, providing owners with up-to-date location information and assisting police in their recovery attempt.
Despite all these efforts to block the Kia Boys from driving away in cars they find on the street, the number of thefts and car break-ins remains high. Many teens attempt to start Kias and Hyundais without checking the model or the model year, sometimes realizing it's a push-to-start after breaking in. They walk away empty-handed, leaving behind damage worth thousands of dollars after breaking the window and ripping off the steering wheel column to expose the ignition.
Kia also gives away stickers to let potential thieves know that a vehicle has already been patched against the Kia Boys challenge.
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