Thefts of Kias and Hyundais in New York City have exploded sixfold thanks to a viral TikTok challenge that’s spurring teenage social media mavens to steal them, Mayor Adams said Thursday.
The “Kia Boyz Challenge” — online videos that expose flaws in the ignition systems of some Kias and Hyundais and encourages viewers to snatch the vehicles — has fueled a massive uptick in the city’s car theft rate, Adams and NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a City Hall press conference.
“We see it as not only stealing a vehicle, but stealing the future of our young people,” Adams said. “Being arrested for grand larceny auto is a felony. It will remain on your record. It will remain with you for life.”
As of Sunday, 633 Kias and Hyundais have been reported stolen in the city this year — nearly six times the amount taken by this time last year, when 111 had been stolen.
Many of the cars are later recovered near where they were taken, usually crashed into other cars, fire hydrants and light poles. In some cases, the stolen autos are used to commit crimes, Sewell said.
“Our auto crime division, crime prevention and local precincts are all focused on this issue,” Sewell said. “We’re investigating every incident. There is no such thing as a victimless crime so you will be pursued, arrested, and can be held accountable.”
Thanks to the jump in Kia and Hyundai thefts, the number of cars stolen in the city has jumped by 6% this year, from 3,101 to 3,308, NYPD statistics show.
The Kia Boyz Challenge began in Milwaukee, Wis. when youths there learned it was shockingly easy to steal certain Kias and Hyundais thanks to a design flaw in the ignition system. Once you pop the steering wheel column with a screwdriver, you can use any small squarish object, like a USB cable, to turn the ignition and start the car.
A documentary on the challenge, as well as videos of the thefts posted on social media, quickly went viral, leading to Hyundais and Kias being stolen off streets across the country at an alarming rate.
Last September, about 10 to 12 Kias and Hyundais were being stolen in the five boroughs a month, Sewell said. By December, the number was up to 100. Most of the thefts have occurred in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan.
As of Sunday, cops have arrested 109 people for stealing Kias and Hyundais and 60 of them — more than half — were between ages 15 and 19. An additional eight were between 10 and 14, police said.
Only 19 people had been arrested for stealing Kias and Huyndais by this time last year, police said.
Cops recommend that Kia and Hyundai owners use an old-fashioned car club or steering wheel immobilizer to prevent teens from taking their vehicles. Owners are also encouraged to take up Kia and Hyundai on their free upgrades that will fix the ignition flaw.
Adams compared the social media challenges to drill rap videos, where some rappers have called out rivals and encouraged violence. The videos have led to several murders in the city.
“This is not a game. This is dangerous. I need our social media companies to play a more active role on how we don’t put out dangerous social media challenges like these,” Adams said. “We don’t need social media to contribute to social disorder.”