The viral TikTok challenge that has multiplied the thefts of two car brands in the US by as much as seven.

The
Chicago Police issued a statement last week warning owners of Kia and Hyundai about the
increase in robberies of vehicles of those brands as a result of a
viral tiktok challenge.

The incidence of the so-called ‘Hyundai or Kia Challenge’ is not a unique problem for the Windy City. Also in
Milwaukee and in Pennsylvania have reported an increase in car thefts as a result of this viral challenge.

In Chicago, Hyundai and Kia, thefts have increased by 767%, according to the city’s police.

The technique used is amazingly simple, posted on TikTok by a group called ‘Kia Boyz’. The video running through the social network of Chinese descent
learn how to start the vehicle with a cell phone charger or a USB cable, which will start the car in less than a minute.

The rise in Chicago is notorious. Of the 74 thefts that took place at Kia and Hyundai between July and mid-August last year,
the 642 in the same period of that yearthe police said.

Early August,
a group of teenagers from 14 to 17 were involved in a robbery of a Kia in Minnesota, Fox News reports. After the theft, they conducted a highway chase with patrol cars and a helicopter. They were arrested after they crashed into the vehicle.

The same media reports that the St. Petersburg police in Florida have stated that the theft of these two brands accounts for 40% of this type of crime. In Milwaukee, the share is even more worrying: in 2021
67% of thefts are related to Kia or Hyundai.

The ‘trick’ to get the vehicle going stems from a breakdown of models before 2022, mainly some Kia produced between 2011 and 2021 and some Hyundai from 2015 to 2021. According to the specialist media Car And Drive, it is problem in
lack of immobilizers of the affected vehicles.

Authorities have suggested to the owners of these vehicles that:
take special care of your cars; especially at the ‘quick’ stops at petrol stations or other establishments.

Source: La Verdad

Ida

I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.