Imagine you walk outside one day and see that your car – the one you take pride in, the one that gets you around – is vandalized. Broken into, trashed, missing. It’s a feeling of violation, isn’t it?
That’s what people are experiencing all over the United States as a dangerous trend called the Kia Boyz trend gains popularity on TikTok. The trend involves breaking into Kia and Hyundai cars – but mostly Kias – with a screwdriver and USB cord. You read that correctly. T
The product design of Kia cars built in 2011 and beyond has made it a piece of cake for car burglars to break in and go for a joyride with as little as a USB cable.
When did the Kia Boyz trend start to go viral on TikTok?
The trend began in Milwaukee in 2021 and has continued to grow out of hand as grand-theft auto cases are rising. Young kids are getting carried away with this dangerous game, and it’s costing people their hard-earned money, their sense of security, and in some alleged cases, their lives.
YouTube account Tommy G interviewed a group of Kia Boyz from Milwaukee and asked if a Kia Boy had ever crashed their car and died — the answer was yes. When asked what should happen to a Kia Boy if they were to accidentally hit and kill a pedestrian, they said it would be the pedestrian’s fault as they “should’ve got out of the way.”
Is the Kia Boyz trend still going on?
Yes! In Aug., TikTok user @ssacred_rebel went viral for documenting the aftermath of her encounter with the Kia Boyz, which resulted in a hefty mechanic bill and a towed vehicle, all of which she had to pay out of pocket.
This user isn’t the only one. There have been plenty of other victims of the Kia Boyz, and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Kia and Hyundai released statements addressing the surge in theft, alleviating the fears of owners with 2022 models, according to USA Today. “
Kia America is aware of the rise in vehicle thefts of certain trim level vehicles. As of the current 2022 Model Year, all Kia vehicles have an engine immobilizer fitted as standard.”
Those with models from 2011 to 2021, however, were left with little assurance. Hyundai’s statement, on the other hand, reads like the equivalent of too bad, so sad.
“Hyundai Motor America is concerned with the rise in local auto thefts. The safety and well-being of our customers and the community is and will remain our top priority.”
As for TikTok, a spokesperson for the company condoned the behavior of those who participated in the Kia Boyz trend and assured the public that such behavior “violates our policies and will be removed if found on our platform.”
The Kia Boyz trend has taken the obsession with “going viral” to a whole new level. Oh, and did we forget to mention it’s illegal? Sure, grand-theft auto is nothing new, but the glamor it’s been given due to its virality on TikTok paints a disturbing picture of where our values as a society lie.
