Suburban Police Warn of Kia, Hyundai Thefts Related to Viral TikTok ‘Challenge'

Another suburban police department is warning residents of a surge in thefts involving specific Kia and Hyundai vehicles that have a security flaw exposed by a viral TikTok “challenge.” On Wednesday, police in suburban Oak Park issued a warning that they are seeing an increase in thefts of vehicles from the two manufacturers that were constructed between 2010 and 2021. “The uptick in local thefts mirrors a nationwide trend where thieves target Hyundai and Kia vehicles that use a mechanical key to start rather than a key-fob and push button,” according to the alert. According to a report by NBC 5 Responds, the “Kia Hyundai Challenge” originated with TikTok users sharing “how-to” videos exposing a security flaw in Hyundai models made between 2013 and 2021, and Kia models made between 2011 and 2021. The flaw is due to the lack of a device known as a “standard immobilizer,” which prevents a car from starting without the key present. Nearly 96% of vehicles manufactured after 2015 have the devices, according to NBC 5 responds, but just 26% of Kia and Hyundai vehicles have the devices. In Chicago, police reported 46 thefts involving vehicles manufactured by those companies in the month of May, but that surged to 676 in August, making up one-third of all car thefts in the city. Chicago police recently issued a community alert for thefts of the vehicles in Grand Crossing, with six occurring in a matter of days. Officials recommend that owners use a steering wheel lock device or an engine immobilizer, and recommended that vehicles be parked in well-lit spaces.

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