Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Nothing seems to stop the Kia Boys from stealing and wreaking the cars they find on the street, so now the police across the United States are ready for the next step in their plan.
The authorities in Howard County, Maryland, will give away AirTags to Hyundai and Kia owners specifically to track their vehicles. Car owners who don't have an iPhone will get a Samsung Galaxy SmartTag, a tracker similar to Apple's device that is compatible with Android smartphones.
The local officials say the giveaway, which will take place at the Howard County Police Department Headquarters/Northern District Station (3410 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City 21043) on Sunday, December 10, between 9 AM and 3 PM, will help them find the stolen vehicles faster by accessing the coordinates provided by the trackers.
Hyundai and Kia owners who want the free AirTags must bring their license and registration or proof of residency if the documents don't read Howard County. Only Howard County residents are eligible for the giveaway.
The funds for this campaign come from the Maryland Theft Prevention Council, but the police emphasize that the giveaway will run while supplies last. The AirTag will probably be in high demand, considering most people own an iPhone, so if you have a Samsung smartphone or any other Android mobile device, the Galaxy SmartTag will probably remain available throughout the day.
While the AirTag helps the police find the location of a stolen vehicle, it doesn't help the more concerning part of the problem.
The infamous Kia Boys continue to steal cars for Internet fame, sometimes breaking into them without even looking through the window to see if they have a steering wheel lock. Police say installing such a device is the most efficient way of preventing theft, though in some cases, the Kia Boys still break the car's window before noting the lock.
Hyundai and Kia have been running software update campaigns to install patches on vulnerable vehicles, and while not everybody has received the update, the likelihood of finding an unpatched car is much lower now. The Kia Boys don't care, as social media platforms are still filled with complaints from Hyundai and Kia owners whose cars were broken into due to the TikTok challenge.
The carmakers claim the anti-theft software update works correctly, as the thieves can no longer start the vehicle with a USB cable. They also provide customers with a window sticker informing potential thieves that the vehicles have been patched.
Apple's AirTag is a pill-shaped tracker that connects to nearby iPhones to broadcast its location. The device shows its location in the Find My application, and thanks to the lack of an integrated Internet connection, its battery should last up to six months. The only way for a thief to disable the AirTag is to remove the battery.
The local officials say the giveaway, which will take place at the Howard County Police Department Headquarters/Northern District Station (3410 Courthouse Drive, Ellicott City 21043) on Sunday, December 10, between 9 AM and 3 PM, will help them find the stolen vehicles faster by accessing the coordinates provided by the trackers.
Hyundai and Kia owners who want the free AirTags must bring their license and registration or proof of residency if the documents don't read Howard County. Only Howard County residents are eligible for the giveaway.
The funds for this campaign come from the Maryland Theft Prevention Council, but the police emphasize that the giveaway will run while supplies last. The AirTag will probably be in high demand, considering most people own an iPhone, so if you have a Samsung smartphone or any other Android mobile device, the Galaxy SmartTag will probably remain available throughout the day.
While the AirTag helps the police find the location of a stolen vehicle, it doesn't help the more concerning part of the problem.
The infamous Kia Boys continue to steal cars for Internet fame, sometimes breaking into them without even looking through the window to see if they have a steering wheel lock. Police say installing such a device is the most efficient way of preventing theft, though in some cases, the Kia Boys still break the car's window before noting the lock.
Hyundai and Kia have been running software update campaigns to install patches on vulnerable vehicles, and while not everybody has received the update, the likelihood of finding an unpatched car is much lower now. The Kia Boys don't care, as social media platforms are still filled with complaints from Hyundai and Kia owners whose cars were broken into due to the TikTok challenge.
The carmakers claim the anti-theft software update works correctly, as the thieves can no longer start the vehicle with a USB cable. They also provide customers with a window sticker informing potential thieves that the vehicles have been patched.
Apple's AirTag is a pill-shaped tracker that connects to nearby iPhones to broadcast its location. The device shows its location in the Find My application, and thanks to the lack of an integrated Internet connection, its battery should last up to six months. The only way for a thief to disable the AirTag is to remove the battery.
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