New social media fad spurs would-be car thieves

Thanks to TikTok, car thieves are exploiting a vehicle defect that makes these particular cars comparatively easy to steal with little more than a pin and a USB cable, as reported by the Triple I’s Mark Friedlander. This is a significant issue, as it is causing damage to the steering columns of the vehicles, which is a costly repair. The number of Kias stolen in Chicago has risen from 328 in 2021 to nearly 3,600 in just 2022. This has caused insurance premiums and coverage restrictions to rise for the same vehicle owners who purchased Kias or Hyundais between 2011 and 2021. Read more>>>III: Auto insurers curtail coverage of Kias, Hyundais as thefts soar | PropertyCasualty360