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So have you heard of the Kia Boyz? It probably depends on how much time you spend on TikTok, whether you have.
Kia Boyz aren’t any specific group of people. It’s more like a TikTok hashtag or challenge that began spreading like wildfire during the pandemic in 2021.
Using a method that was widely shared on social media, bored kids began stealing Kias and Hyundais just for the hell of it.
Since then, tens of thousands of cars have been stolen under this banner, causing untold thousands of dollars in damage… and not just to the cars they stole.
As Allison Barfield of MotorBiscuit.com reported this week…
Joy riding is already pretty dangerous and illegal. But now kids are taking things to the next level by using stolen Kia models to crash into storefronts on purpose.
Kids slam through glass windows and doors to jump out and steal from the stores before abandoning the Kia models.
A gun shop was hit in Canal Fulton, Ohio. Kids stole tons of weapons and jumped into another getaway car.
Another group of kids recently crashed into a Tobacco shop in Everett, Washington to steal various products. Also, kids just targeted a Marijuana shop in Everett two days ago.
Apparently, Kia Souls and Sportages, and Hyundai Santa Fes that were manufactured between 2015 and 2020 are incredibly easy to steal.
As ArsTechnica.com explained earlier this year, “The Kia Boys can easily steal Kia models manufactured from 2011-2021 by accessing the steering wheel column. The method is probably easier than you think: all the Kia Boys need to do is break a window, pry open the steering column, and plug a charging cord onto a small metal nub beneath the ignition cylinder, which is perfectly sized to fit into a USB-A plug. Then just twist the plug and the car starts.”
The Kia Boyz trend, which began mostly in Milwaukee and Columbus, has now spread to pretty much the entire United States.
Just this week, two 18-year-olds who described themselves as Kia Boyz were arrested in Bellevue, Washington after being involved in a total of six robberies while driving a stolen Hyundai Tucson.
On Tuesday, a 14-year-old boy stole two different cars in 24 hours using the Kia Boyz method. He stole the second car after crashing the first vehicle into a ditch. Because, you know, he’s 14 and didn’t know how to drive a car.