Kia Boys
Between 2011 and 2021, Kia made a quiet cost-cutting decision: millions of their base model cars sold in the US would ship without an engine immobilizer. That is the chip that keeps a car from starting unless the real key is present. Without it, the ignition is just a mechanical switch waiting to be turned.
Pop the cover off the steering column, expose the ignition cylinder, and you are left with a socket that just so happens to fit the end of a USB. Just insert, twist, and drive.
TikTok Takes The Wheel
In 2021, Milwaukee found out about this the hard way. Local news started reporting a spike in Kia thefts, driven largely by teenagers who filmed themselves doing it. They called themselves the Kia Boys, and their videos featured joyrides, reckless driving, and a remarkable amount of property damage for people too young to rent a car (let alone drive one).
For a while this stayed local. Then a documentary hit YouTube in May 2022. Two months later, the first TikTok demonstrating exactly how it works went viral. Every attempt at moderation didn't stand a chance, it had broken containment.
The trend might have started in the Midwest, but it did not stay there.
Kia vehicles reported stolen in Portland, OR
Monthly totals, Jan 2021 to Dec 2023. Time runs top to bottom; further right means more cars stolen.
Feb 2021
News outlets in Milwaukee, WI report a spike in Kia thefts.
Aug 2021
The first "Kia Boyz" video appears online.
May 2022
A documentary on the "Kia Boyz" is posted to YouTube.
Jul 2022
A TikTok showing how to start a Kia with a USB plug goes viral.
Oct 2022
Kia dealerships begin distributing free wheel locks.
Feb 2023
The first round of software patches is released.
Jun 2023
The last of the vehicle software patches is released.
Nov 2023
Congressman sends a letter demanding the automakers' CEO act.
Jan 2024
A coalition of major U.S. cities petitions NHTSA for a national recall.
May 2024
Officially named the most stolen car in the U.S. for 2023.
View the data as a table
| Month | Vehicles stolen |
|---|---|
| Jan 2021 | 8 |
| Feb 2021 | 2 |
| Mar 2021 | 6 |
| Apr 2021 | 5 |
| May 2021 | 4 |
| Jun 2021 | 4 |
| Jul 2021 | 4 |
| Aug 2021 | 5 |
| Sep 2021 | 3 |
| Oct 2021 | 10 |
| Nov 2021 | 3 |
| Dec 2021 | 3 |
| Jan 2022 | 8 |
| Feb 2022 | 5 |
| Mar 2022 | 12 |
| Apr 2022 | 10 |
| May 2022 | 11 |
| Jun 2022 | 17 |
| Jul 2022 | 39 |
| Aug 2022 | 121 |
| Sep 2022 | 80 |
| Oct 2022 | 93 |
| Nov 2022 | 150 |
| Dec 2022 | 194 |
| Jan 2023 | 197 |
| Feb 2023 | 159 |
| Mar 2023 | 129 |
| Apr 2023 | 91 |
| May 2023 | 82 |
| Jun 2023 | 106 |
| Jul 2023 | 87 |
| Aug 2023 | 80 |
| Sep 2023 | 99 |
| Oct 2023 | 66 |
| Nov 2023 | 55 |
| Dec 2023 | 106 |
| Jan 2024 | 68 |
| Feb 2024 | 59 |
| Mar 2024 | 65 |
| Apr 2024 | 76 |
| May 2024 | 62 |
| Jun 2024 | 43 |
| Jul 2024 | 52 |
| Aug 2024 | 29 |
| Sep 2024 | 23 |
| Oct 2024 | 47 |
| Nov 2024 | 69 |
| Dec 2024 | 43 |
The Aftermath
Kia spent 2023 cleaning up. Dealerships handed out free wheel locks. Class-action lawsuits alleging negligence for selling cars without adequate security piled up, and in May 2023 Kia announced a $200 million settlement for incurred damages. Software patches rolled out in waves, with the first round in February 2023 and the last of them by June.
The patches worked, sort of. Portland's monthly count fell from a peak of 197 in January 2023 down into the double digits. The fix brought thefts down from the peak, but distribution clearly took its time.
