Why Kia, Hyundai vehicles get ‘Fred Flintstoned away’ after viral theft video

By Kalea Hall
November 2, 2022

“When one person’s holding out and there’s 20 other automakers doing something different, the 20 are usually right,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington-based automotive consumer advocacy group. “They need to start giving consumers more security options as standard equipment on cars. We don’t like to see equipment that is safety-related marketed as an option.”

Andy Webb is out thousands of dollars after a viral video led to the theft of his 2019 Kia Forte in September.

The 34-year-old from Midtown Detroit moved the sedan to sell beer out of his garage during Cass Corridor’s Dally in the Alley community festival. When he went to get it the next day from a nearby parking lot, Webb found only shattered glass.

Webb is one of several victims of a viral TikTok video showing how to easily steal Kia and Hyundai vehicles with a USB cable. The trend has spread across the United States, becoming an issue for Metro Detroit police departments with these models now making up 10% of all auto thefts to date in the City of Detroit.

The full story can be found here via The Detroit News, but is behind a paywall as of November 3, 2022.