Police in Connecticut are warning drivers about a TikTok challenge that shows how easily thieves can steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
In Shelton, police said there have been reports of six stolen vehicles, five Hyundais and one Kia, since Saturday.
Shelton police said they were called early Tuesday to Coram Avenue and Hill Street where a group of people were seen trying to break into cars. Police said the group was in a Hyundai stolen from another city.
Police said the 16-year-old driver of a car stolen overnight in Shelton was arrested Tuesday. The Ansonia resident was charged with first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary and driving without a license, police said. Police said the young man was also charged with first-degree criminal mischief, a felony related to property damage.
“The juvenile stated that he was following a trend on TikTok regarding the theft of Hyundai and Kia vehicles,” Shelton police said.
authorities all over the country have warned of thefts targeting these vehicles, which share the South Korean Hyundai Motor group as a parent company. In a TikTok video, thieves can be seen bragging about how easily cars can be taken, in some cases with just a flat-blade screwdriver and a USB cable.
Earlier this month, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Kia in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, alleging that the automaker’s vehicles have a “defect” that “makes them easy to steal, they’re not safe and they’re worth less than they should be.”
East Windsor police are also warning about thefts associated with TikTok videos. East Windsor police said vehicles without a push button start are the most vulnerable to these thefts.
“The videos show how to steal these vehicles in seconds with a USB cable,” East Windsor police said on Facebook.
The agency said one such theft may have occurred Sunday when an owner’s vehicle was stolen while they were shopping at Walmart.
Police said homeowners should use a theft deterrent, such as a steering wheel lock, park in a garage or well-lit area if possible, lock doors, remove valuables and activate the your vehicle alarm.