By: Dee Warren
OMAHA, Neb – Many Omaha residents have been in uproar over the social media trend on TikTok called “The Kia Boy challenge.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the trend has been linked to the recent uptick in vehicle thefts targeting Kia and Hyundai owners locally and across the nation.
Omaha authorities said Kia owners with models from 2015-2021 equipped with the traditional key ignition starters are the primary targets in this trend. Furthermore, Omaha authorities have said that the people who committed the crimes are primarily teens, and all that is use to hotwire these vehicles are screwdrivers and USB cables.
Omaha residents like Delaney Thomas began to take notice of the online trend and voiced frustration over the situation, “Kia has a responsibility to its customers to provide safe cars that have anti-theft protection.”
H&H Kia dealership on 84th and F St, located in Omaha, NE. (Photo/Dee Warren)
The B Street Collision Center in Omaha said the string of break-ins have created a lot of work for their agency and insurance companies are beginning to take notice. Alex Haiest, a collision consultant for B Street Collision Center, said that he began to see a regular occurrence of both Kia and Hyundai thefts over the last few years.
In addition, Haiest had concern over the possibility that certain insurance companies may stop insuring specific models and years of Kia and Hyundai vehicles altogether which could create more frustration on behalf of the owners and manufacturers.
