ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — If you drive a Kia or Hyundai, a new warning from law enforcement. You can find a new viral TikTok problem which is encouraging teenagers and younger grown ups to steal these automobiles.
Arlington police say when it arrives to automobile theft, Kias and Hyundais are hardly ever focused. That is, until finally lately.
In just the past pair of months, 12 vehicles have been either stolen or recovered.
“Digging via the investigation, we observed out that evidently there is certainly some movies of other juveniles or younger grownups having these cars,” Jesse Minton stated.
On social media, the “Kia Obstacle” dares folks to split in and then use a USB cable to start off the cars and trucks. The video clips present teens and young adults likely for joy rides and in some situations, even abandoning or crashing the cars.
“It’s super disheartening,” Hyundai driver Jesse Barnes said. “Now, I have to be cautious where I park and fork out awareness and it is really likely to alter matters. We’ll possibly be taking my wife’s auto”
But Jesse Barnes states as lecturers, regrettably they are not astonished.
“I loathe to say that out loud, but I indicate they were trashing loos previous year.. we felt it,” Kimberly Benford stated.
“We sense it in excess of TikTok troubles, you know.”
Locally, Arlington law enforcement say they’ve built several arrests and pressure auto theft in Texas is a felony, which a lot of young folks could not know.
To greatest guard your car — they advise:
- Parking in nicely lit region
- Locking your doors
- Having an anti-theft machine like a steering wheel lock
“I am going to certainly hold my car in an spot where by there is certainly a digicam on it,” Kia driver David Offor said. “Make certain that my vehicle is in secure palms and secure keeping.”
“There almost certainly need to be a remember,” Barnes stated. “Possibly anything must be improved.”
We’ve arrived at out to both equally Kia and Hyundai to see if there are any changes being looked at and are waiting around to listen to back again.
UPDATE: On Sunday, July 31, 2022, Kia furnished the pursuing statement:
Kia The united states is informed of the rise in auto thefts of a subset of trim levels in your region. All 2022 versions and trims have an immobilizer applied possibly at the starting of the year or as a running alter. All Kia automobiles for sale in the U.S. satisfy or exceed Federal motor Motor vehicle Safety Specifications. Kia shoppers with concerns about their Kia motor vehicle must call the Client Support heart specifically at 1-800-333-4542 (Kia).
