Kia Thefts Could Be Part of 'Kia Boyz' Social Media Challenge: Sheriff

PLAINFIELD, IL — Early Tuesday morning, two parked Kias were stolen, and an attempt was made to steal a third, in the Lakewood Falls subdivision, according to the Will County Sheriff's Office.

The office received reports of the thefts between 6 and 8 a.m. Tuesday. One car, a 2015 Kia Optima, was left unlocked and parked on the street in the 22000 block of West Niagara Court. Another, a 2020 Kia Sportage, was parked in the driveway of a home in the 22000 block of West Miller Drive.

The attempted theft happened in the 14000 block of South Lakeridge Drive. The owner of a 2017 Kia Sorento went outside her home to find her car, which had been parked and left unlocked on the street in front of her residence, had been broken into. The dashboard had been ripped off from underneath the steering wheel, according to Will County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Kathy Hoffmeyer, who said deputies said it looked like the thief attempted to steal the vehicle but failed.

"We do believe all those three instances are related to one another," Hoffmeyer told Patch.

Kias are the latest target of a social media challenge, dubbed "Kia Boyz" or "Kia Challenge, aimed at stealing cars. Word is spreading on online platforms, including TikTok, that it's possible to steal certain cars — specifically some Kia and Hyundai models — using a USB charging cord, according to Auto Blog.

While the sheriff's office can't say for sure if the cars stolen from Lakewood Falls are related to this challenge, Hoffmeyer said it's possible.

As a result, the sheriff's office is urging Kia and Hyundai owners to take extra precautions when parking their cars.

"We urge owners of these types of vehicles as well as all vehicle owners to, if they have a garage, to park in a garage or try to park in lighted areas," Hoffmeyer said. "If you're parking in a driveway, park your vehicle — if you have a Kia or a Hyundai — you might want to park it behind another vehicle since we're seeing a trend here in the Will County area and surrounding area."