Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
It's hard to be a Kia or Hyundai owner these days, as your car has a target on its back every second it's out there.
Living proof is this story from Fond Du Lac County, where a 14-year-old boy looking for Internet fame stole not one but two different cars in 24 hours. He used the same old trick, hotwiring the vehicles using a USB cable.
The Kia Boys saga started nearly two years ago when a TikTok challenge went viral, showing teenagers how to steal certain Kia and Hyundai models in seconds. The hack involves breaking into a car, removing the steering wheel column cover, and then using an exposed port to start the vehicle. It works in Kia and Hyundai models without immobilizers.
The wannabe 14-year-old celebrity first broke into a vehicle on Saturday, but because he had no driver's license and didn't know how to drive, he quickly crashed the vehicle into a ditch. Hours later, he hotwired a Kia Soul for the views and drove away.
It didn't take long for the police to spot the vehicle going erratically, so the officers engaged in a chase, asking the driver to pull over. The 14-year-old refused to stop, trying to escape from the cops by going on Highway 151. The high-speed chase ended without further incidents, as the boy eventually pulled over on the highway.
The case is a reminder that Kia and Hyundai cars continue to be targeted by the Kia Boys despite the anti-theft software released by the carmakers. Hyundai and Kia urge owners to install the patch because "it works," with the two companies also setting up software update clinics across the United States to deploy it. The process takes about 30 minutes, and once installed, it prevents thieves from stealing the cars.
If patching isn't possible, the best option is to install a steering wheel lock. It wouldn't prevent the thieves from breaking your window, but they won't be able to drive away. The Kia Boys don't seem to check their targets before trying to break in, as some Kia and Hyundai owners reported theft attempts even if their vehicles were equipped with steering wheel locks visible from the outside.
In one case, the Kia Boys even left a message for the car owner, telling them to "get something else" because they couldn't steal their vehicle.
Police tell Kia and Hyundai owners to install any available anti-theft systems and avoid leaving their keys inside. For Kia Boys, it doesn't make a difference, as an unpatched vehicle is a car that always has the keys in the ignition and waits for a thief to break in.
The 14-year-old TikTok fanboy is now awaiting charges.
The Kia Boys saga started nearly two years ago when a TikTok challenge went viral, showing teenagers how to steal certain Kia and Hyundai models in seconds. The hack involves breaking into a car, removing the steering wheel column cover, and then using an exposed port to start the vehicle. It works in Kia and Hyundai models without immobilizers.
The wannabe 14-year-old celebrity first broke into a vehicle on Saturday, but because he had no driver's license and didn't know how to drive, he quickly crashed the vehicle into a ditch. Hours later, he hotwired a Kia Soul for the views and drove away.
It didn't take long for the police to spot the vehicle going erratically, so the officers engaged in a chase, asking the driver to pull over. The 14-year-old refused to stop, trying to escape from the cops by going on Highway 151. The high-speed chase ended without further incidents, as the boy eventually pulled over on the highway.
The case is a reminder that Kia and Hyundai cars continue to be targeted by the Kia Boys despite the anti-theft software released by the carmakers. Hyundai and Kia urge owners to install the patch because "it works," with the two companies also setting up software update clinics across the United States to deploy it. The process takes about 30 minutes, and once installed, it prevents thieves from stealing the cars.
If patching isn't possible, the best option is to install a steering wheel lock. It wouldn't prevent the thieves from breaking your window, but they won't be able to drive away. The Kia Boys don't seem to check their targets before trying to break in, as some Kia and Hyundai owners reported theft attempts even if their vehicles were equipped with steering wheel locks visible from the outside.
In one case, the Kia Boys even left a message for the car owner, telling them to "get something else" because they couldn't steal their vehicle.
Police tell Kia and Hyundai owners to install any available anti-theft systems and avoid leaving their keys inside. For Kia Boys, it doesn't make a difference, as an unpatched vehicle is a car that always has the keys in the ignition and waits for a thief to break in.
The 14-year-old TikTok fanboy is now awaiting charges.
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