Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/YouTube
Hyundai and Kia are working around the clock on installing the anti-theft software update on their cars, but it doesn't mean teenagers are ready to abandon a trend that made many of them famous.
However, two teenagers, aged 14 and 15, have become famous after getting arrested by the Fort Myers Police for what the officers believe are at least six cars stolen with the infamous TikTok hack.
The teens were part of a group known online as 239 Kia Boyz, recording the way they break into vulnerable Kia models and posting the videos on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The police claim the teens are responsible for several car thefts in the Metro and Winkler area, as they typically stole cars to leave town and then stole other Kias to return home.
The teenagers drove away in vehicles and abandoned them when they ran out of gas or crashed them. In some cases, the teens hid the cars out and then looked for other Kias without immobilizers to break into them and drive back home.
Law enforcement explains that the arrest was possible thanks to a car owner who decided to take the matter into his own hands and catch the thief. Local media is reporting that the owner "tackled one of the teens," eventually leading to the thief's arrest.
Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia recently announced free software update clinics to deploy the anti-theft patch on vehicles still vulnerable to the TikTok hack.
The hack allows thieves to start the car by connecting a USB cable to the vehicle using an exposed port under the steering wheel column. The criminals rip off the column cover to reach the port and then connect the cable, eventually driving away and recording the theft to post it on social media platforms. The teenagers, including the two 14 YO and 15 YO boys arrested by the police in this case, hide their faces and post the content under throwaway accounts to hide their real identities.
Hyundai and Kia urge car owners to install the software update, emphasizing that it works correctly and blocks thieves from stealing their vehicles. The companies hold update parties until the end of the year in several locations across the United States, but car owners can also go to the nearest dealership to receive the patch. The process doesn't take more than 30 minutes, and owners also get a window sticker to tell potential thieves that the vehicle has already been updated.
Hyundai and Kia also offer reimbursements to owners whose cars can't be patched and who purchased steering wheel locks to prevent their vehicles from getting stolen. Customers are recommended to contact the carmakers for additional information.
The teens were part of a group known online as 239 Kia Boyz, recording the way they break into vulnerable Kia models and posting the videos on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The police claim the teens are responsible for several car thefts in the Metro and Winkler area, as they typically stole cars to leave town and then stole other Kias to return home.
The teenagers drove away in vehicles and abandoned them when they ran out of gas or crashed them. In some cases, the teens hid the cars out and then looked for other Kias without immobilizers to break into them and drive back home.
Law enforcement explains that the arrest was possible thanks to a car owner who decided to take the matter into his own hands and catch the thief. Local media is reporting that the owner "tackled one of the teens," eventually leading to the thief's arrest.
Meanwhile, Hyundai and Kia recently announced free software update clinics to deploy the anti-theft patch on vehicles still vulnerable to the TikTok hack.
The hack allows thieves to start the car by connecting a USB cable to the vehicle using an exposed port under the steering wheel column. The criminals rip off the column cover to reach the port and then connect the cable, eventually driving away and recording the theft to post it on social media platforms. The teenagers, including the two 14 YO and 15 YO boys arrested by the police in this case, hide their faces and post the content under throwaway accounts to hide their real identities.
Hyundai and Kia urge car owners to install the software update, emphasizing that it works correctly and blocks thieves from stealing their vehicles. The companies hold update parties until the end of the year in several locations across the United States, but car owners can also go to the nearest dealership to receive the patch. The process doesn't take more than 30 minutes, and owners also get a window sticker to tell potential thieves that the vehicle has already been updated.
Hyundai and Kia also offer reimbursements to owners whose cars can't be patched and who purchased steering wheel locks to prevent their vehicles from getting stolen. Customers are recommended to contact the carmakers for additional information.
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