Vehicle Stolen At East Windsor Walmart Attributed To Online Challenge

EAST WINDSOR, CT — A car stolen from the East Windsor Walmart parking lot Sunday is being attributed to a social media challenge, police said.

East Windsor police said Monday that Kia and Hyundai vehicles are being stolen across the country because of the social media challenge. Videos show how to steal the vehicles "in seconds" using a USB cable, police said.

The vehicles in question predate push-button start systems and are "vulnerable to the technique," police said.

"It appears this may have happened yesterday when a vehicle was stolen while the owner was shopping at Walmart," police said.

East Windsor police offered the following preventative measures:

• Use a theft prevention tool, such as a steering wheel lock
• Park in a if possible, or in well-lighted areas
• Keep doors locked at all times
• Remove valuables from vehicles
• Activate alarm systems