NASHVILLE. Tenn. (WKRN) – It’s a TikTok trend that has swept the nation, centered around Hyundai and Kia vehicles being stolen.
“We’re seeing this explosion in thefts of particularly these makes, the Kia and the Hyundai,” said an officer in Cleveland.
Across the U.S., police departments have been warning car owners about the potential threat.
In the social media trend, it shows how thieves can start the ignition without a key, sometimes able to do so with just a cable wire.
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“In the new age, we have to combat it any way we can,” said police in St. Louis.
Then, in Memphis, the police chief had a similar warning, as she explained how “a lot of stolen vehicles that we’re seeing on our roads right now, are vehicles that are being used in other crimes.”
News 2 spoke with a man in Nashville who just recently had his Kia stolen.
“By 6:30, I noticed my car was gone. It was nowhere to be found,” said the man, who asked us not to share his name or face, because he still has no idea who stole his car, right out of his apartment parking lot. “From that moment, all I could do was call the police. I was shocked that it was gone, but I’ve known about this issue for a while. Unfortunately, I’m from Memphis, I always thought my car would be stolen out of Memphis visiting my mama, not in Nashville.”
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Four days would go by before he received a phone call from his insurance agency, letting him know his car was found. However, he says he still does not know how it was found, where it was found or what condition it is now in. He is now warning others, that it just takes one time, to become a victim.
“Definitely make sure your doors are locked because that’s really what I believe happened. I rushed getting out of the car after practice, trying to get in the house and messed around just that one day. I didn’t make sure it locked,” he said.
In response to the increasing threats, Hyundai announced the company is offering a free anti-theft software upgrade to certain vehicles until June 2023. For a full list of the vehicles that are available for the upgrade, CLICK HERE.
