Although security systems in cars have improved, theft cases are still frequent. Now, news from the United States reveals that the thieves targeted models of Kia and Hyundai brands.

According to the news of the Wall Street Journal, some Kia models released between 2011 and 2021 and some Hyundai models released between 2016 and 2021 have a condition that will facilitate theft. It is stated that these vehicles do not have systems that prevent working without a key and use traditional keys. For this reason, it is said that thefts in the country are increasing.

Videos circulating on social media increase thefts

Authorities have recorded 642 thefts involving Kia and Hyundai models since the beginning of July, according to police statements in the state of Illinois. The fact that this number was 74 in the same period last year also revealed how much of an increase there was.

Authorities think that the videos circulating on social media are behind this serious increase. “This increase is thought to be linked to videos on social media showing people how to start cars without a key. The thieves are targeting vehicles with physical keys, not cars with keyless keys.

It is possible to say that the mentioned videos are some of the content that has recently become viral on channels such as TikTok and YouTube. In videos; it shows how to enter vehicles with things like screwdrivers, USB cables, and how these cars can be powered. The police adds that the videos, which are stated to come from a group called Kia Boyz, were first noticed in 2020, when restrictions began due to the pandemic.

Authorities said that many measures were taken, such as more police patrols, warnings to people, stickers to mark the cars in question. After that, August saw a 22% and 36% decrease in Kia and Hyundai thefts in Milwaukee. Thefts in the same region had increased by 183% in the first eight months of 2021 compared to the previous period.

Kia and Hyundai launch anti-theft ‘steering lock’ feature

Although the authorities blamed the companies, Hyundai and Kia stated that they were aware of the issue and took precautions. The companies stated that they are worried about viral videos and thefts on social media, and that they have made the ‘steering wheel lock’ feature available for the safety of users with older models. Hyundai added that a security kit against thefts will be released on October 1st.

Although the event took place in the USA, we know that the vehicles of these brands are also very popular in our country. That’s why people with vehicles that operate with conventional keys need to be careful about this type of theft.

A video taken by a YouTuber on the subject: