A 14-year-old boy was put under arrest earlier this month after he was caught attempting a Kia Boys-esque stunt on a Hyundai in North Texas, according to Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. After he was taken into custody, police realized he was tied to at least 38 other TikTok-inspired car thefts and break-ins in the area.
Cops in Plano, TX say the teen was trying to steal another car when homeowners realized what was happening and called authorities. They blame the Kia Boys trend on TikTok for teaching him how to target and steal these cars. Police also say that they believe the teen didn’t act alone. According to FOX4, if an adult were arrested for these crimes it would mean some pretty solid jail time, but because the boy is only 14-years-old, it’ll be up to the juvenile system to decide on his punishment.
Unfortunately, the police didn’t offer much of a solution to the problem other than — and I’m paraphrasing — try a bit harder not to have your car stolen.
“We want to harden the target,” Officer Jennifer Chapman told FOX4. We want them to go get the wheel locks, to go get the software updates, and that way if somebody is looking inside your vehicle they won’t see it as an easy opportunity to commit this crime.”
According to another report from FOX4, police say that the number of stolen vehicles in Plano jumped 15 percent in just one year. Thanks, TikTok!
“The juveniles are looking online to see how they can steal the vehicles, and they’re sharing it with each other just like they would any other platform,” Officer Chapman continued.
Back in February, Kia-Hyundai offered a free security update for their impacted cars, according to the report. In May, the company reportedly agreed to a $200 million settlement with owners over these thefts.