A tale of Kias, TikToks, and car thefts
Last June, videos demonstrating how to start some Kias and Hyundais using a USB charger went viral on TikTok, leading to a rash of thefts in some cities. TikTok has since removed the videos, but car owners are still dealing with their impact: from December 2021 to December 2022, reported thefts rose 50 percent in Atlanta and El Paso, Texas. They tripled in Dayton, Ohio.