We're all vulnerable to car theft, but new data suggests drivers of Hyundais and Kias are particularly being targeted -- and it's because their vehicles are the only new cars that can still be hotwired.
Cities across the nation are reporting skyrocketing rates of stolen Hyundai and Kia models and social media is partly to blame, according to CNBC. A dangerous trend spreading on TikTok and other platforms challenges users to steal certain cars off the street using a USB cord. Kia and Hyundai vehicles are often targeted because they use a mechanical key, not a key fob and push-button, to start the car, the outlet reported. Videos of the thefts are then posted online.
"The viral nature of how this has taken off on social media — it's accelerated this like we've never seen. [The perpetrators are] doing it in 20 to 30 seconds," Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told CNBC. "It literally is as old-fashioned as you can imagine."
Dart said in his jurisdiction alone, which covers Chicago, thefts of certain models are up over 800% in the last month.
In Los Angeles, the viral trend has led to an 85% increase in car theft of Hyundais and Kias compared with last year. And in St. Petersburg, Florida, more than a third of all car thefts there since mid-July are linked to the TikTok challenge, CBNC reported.
Milwaukee has also seen an extreme spike in thefts involving the brands. Last year, police reported 3,557 Kias and 3,406 Hyundais stolen compared to 469 Kias and 426 Hyundais in 2020, according to NPR.
Sgt. Efrain Cornejo, with the Milwaukee Police Department, told NPR that the vehicles being targeted are not equipped with engine immobilizers, which use electronic signals to prevent cars from being hot-wired. Most cars sold in the last 20 years have them, but many Kias and Hyundais produced before mid-2021 do not, according to NPR.
So, what can drivers do to protect their vehicles? Police recommend getting an old-fashioned steering wheel lock or having a kill switch installed on your vehicle. You could also buy a wheel chock lock or lock clamp, which acts as a "boot" to prevent theft.
The automakers are aware of the problem and are working to address it. Hyundai told NPR it plans to sell a security kit for older vehicles, while Kia said it has partnered with local police departments to hand out free steering wheel locks.
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021, a 6% increase over 2020 and a 17% increase since 2019.
Colorado led the nation in 2021 with the highest overall theft rate at 661.21 thefts per 100,000 people, an increase of 32% since 2020, while California led the nation with the highest number of vehicle thefts by volume with 200,524 vehicles stolen, according to the NICB.
The top five states with the most thefts by volume, which include California, Texas, Illinois, Florida and Colorado, account for 44% of all vehicle thefts nationwide, the NICB added.
David Glawe, NICB president and CEO, said vehicle owners can take simple steps to empower themselves and deter vehicle theft.
"No matter who you are or where you live, theft prevention starts with good security hygiene," Glawe said in a statement. "Lock your doors and keep your keys with you at all times."
Top 10 Hot States for Vehicle Theft by Theft Rate
1. Colorado
2. Washington, D.C
3. California
4. New Mexico
5. Oregon
6. Washington
7. Missouri
8. Nevada
9. Oklahoma
10. Texas
Top 10 Hot Spots for Vehicle Theft by Theft Rate
1. Bakersfield, CA
2. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
3. Pueblo, CO
4. Albuquerque, NM
5. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
6. San Francisco – Oakland – Berkeley, CA
7. Billings, MT
8. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
9. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
10. Yuba City, CA
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