Woman Blames Viral TikTok Car Theft Challenge for Her Car Being Stolen
A woman is blaming a viral TikTok for the reason that her car is missing.
ABC13 reports that Christin Sims fell victim to the "Kia Boyz Challenge" on the social media platform. The challenge involves taking advantage of a design flaw in certain makes of Hyundai and Kia that allows them to be stolen easier.
Sims says the theft of her vehicle was caught on her Ring doorbell camera.
"About two o’clock, my son calls me and says, ‘Mom, where’s my car?’ And I said, ‘In front of the house?’ And he said, ‘No, it’s not there,’" she told the new station.
"I started to cry because the car, obviously, I would love to get our car back, but more importantly, I started thinking about what could have potentially happened to me had they thought I saw them. So, it’s very scary. It was very scary," she continued.
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ABC13 reports that certain models of Hyundais do not have an engine immobilizer or theft deterrent system. As a result, thieves are able to break in and remove the steering case and ignition. From there, they are able to start the car with a USB cable.
Sims was not even aware of the trend on TikTok. She shared that authorities believe the thieves to be high school kids.
"They did say they think that that’s just something for fun. They weren’t necessarily looking for anything except for the type of vehicles that are easy to steal," she revealed.
Sims' car has not shown up since the report broke, however, she remains hopeful that it will.
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Gallery Credit: Claire Epting