The latest TikTok trend to catch fire is not about Pedro Pascal fan edits or viral dance moves: it’s about hot-wiring cars, and city officials say it’s becoming a real problem.
Users of the social media app have been posting videos of themselves jump-starting Hyundais and Kias with a USB cord and a screwdriver, due to a technology glitch that makes it easier to bypass antitheft mechanisms, city officials said at a press conference on Thursday morning.
Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday blamed social media for allowing dangerous fads to spread quickly and widely, putting young people in danger.
“We see it as not only stealing a vehicle, but it’s stealing the future of our young people,” he said during a press conference outside City Hall. “When you are arrested for grand larceny auto, it is a felony. It remains on your record. It impacts your life in a real way.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell said the department started noticing a spike around September, from an average of 10-12 Hyundais and Kias stolen per month to about 100 by December. She said the Bronx and Upper Manhattan have seen the largest jump in thefts.
Sewell said the cars are often found abandoned, after a joyride. But she said she worries the cars could also be used to commit more violent crimes. The commissioner recommended that drivers use a steering wheel-locking device; turn off the ignition and take their keys when leaving their car; close and lock all windows and doors; and park in well-lit, high-trafficked areas when possible.
Hyundai and Kia have created software to prevent thefts, and both companies are now providing free installation for millions of cars affected by the glitch, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration announced last month.
The NHTSA said that the TikTok challenge has caused at least 14 crashes and eight deaths nationwide. Buffalo police also linked the challenge to a fatal crash last fall that killed four teenagers, the AP reported.
Grand larceny auto is up about 7% citywide compared to this time last year, with more than 3,300 cars stolen across the five boroughs. Just over 11% of vehicle thefts were solved in the last quarter of last year, according to the most recently available NYPD data.
In a statement, Hyundai said it has taken multiple steps to prevent thefts and that it is "committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of our products."
Kia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
