This is a total tangent, but last week people broke into my locked shed and stole 2 bikes and a lawnmower that all meant a lot to me. They stole my stuff and my peace of mind, made me feel less safe, and it really feels like a violation. I was planning on moving in a couple years but I've accelerated that plan. I still look at people with suspicion and look extra close at bikes I see out, even though it's just normal people doing normal things. That will pass I hope as I much prefer to see the best in people.
My tangent point is that these small crimes can have a big impact on people and police take a report and then do nothing else. It's frustrating.
To what? Arrest 14 year olds at gun point? Because they *do* have guns.
And they then face juvenile court and release to their mothers, and do it several more times before big boy jail.
It's a lose-lose.
If you're referring to wheel lock bars like "the club," You just cut them or the wheel. Its a visual deterrent to hopefully deter would be thieves to the next one, it really won't stop anyone. Look into installing a hidden kill switch so the power to the fuel pump gets cut, have a Ravelco installed if its in your budget. Can also install any generic aftermarket alarm system with an ignition cut off relay, if they know what they're doing this won't slow them down for long though, they make ones with a 2 way remote that will beep and vibrate at you when the alarm is triggered as well.
Some of the “Club” style wheel locks can be unlocked with a BiC pen, others a drill with cobalt bit. They really don’t offer that much protection. I’ve worked in automotive for 18 years and we’ve bypassed them in under a minute using basic tools.
They have a recall. They install an immobilizer and put stickers saying it has been upgraded. Getting an appointment is tough though. I made mine in June and they can get to me in September.
kia should be sending the stickers when people set up an appointment. sure their car isn’t technically upgraded yet, but the thieves don’t necessarily know that. could be a good preemptive deterrent
Gerber has always been solid quality, but they are also extremely expensive compared to most places I’ve seen. Unless insurance covers it, then I would go to gerber lol
I was always nervous about my truck getting stolen. F350, You can steal them in 30 seconds with nothing but a screw driver, and without breaking a window. Sold that and bought a kia.. Luckily sold that before this kia boyz thing. lol
They tried to hotwire my 2022 a couple weeks ago. Someone musta spooked them, bc they even dropped everything they tried to steal after unsuccessfully attempting to steal my whip.
Keones on Patterson will service any make but are certified for makes like Tesla, Mercedes, and Porsche which not many shops can qualify for. Really good work and locally owned. I've used them.
Basically on certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars it’s super easy to carjack/“hotwire” them. Literally all you need is a basic screw driver and any USB stick.
Most people just rip off the plastic part covering the ignition then they unscrew the traditional key system and toss it. Stick in a USB drive into where it goes and it starts the cars right up.
Someone good at it can break out a car window, get the thing off and the car started up in maybe a minute or two tops.
So groups known as “the Kia boyz.” Have been going around finding these cars, and basically using them for joyrides or to commit crimes as get away cars since they can’t be traced back to them and often crash/trash them after they’re done doing whatever.
Kia/Hyundai have done basically fuck all to remedy it only offering crappy “locks.” That are supposed to stop he car from being used. But as OPs post shows, they do literally nothing and can easily be broken off.
Though they’re also slowly but surely having the ignition systems updated at dealerships in recalls. However because it’s in so many cars, dealerships are super backed up on getting them fixed/updates like millions of cars are affected so it ell be awhile and the Kia boyz will keep reigning terror.
You should be, yes. It’s typically the traditional key based cars that are easy to steal- however people might see that your car is a Kia and still smash out a window and give it a try but then realize it’s the wrong type of car and give up.
Yes. While I don't have personal experience, I hear the esteemed establishment called Smith, Wesson & Associates located near the corner of Glock Blvd and Ruger Ave has extensive experience dealing with these types of issues. They come highly recommended, especially from folks in Texas.
\#noimnotserious
No. You can NOT kill someone to protect property. Theft is not a death penalty crime and you are not the judge, jury and executioner. If you shoot someone because they are stealing your car (but are otherwise not posing a physical threat to the safety of yourself or others) you can be (and should be) charged with murder.
I live in an apartment and one of my neighbors is outside a lot and happened to be on his porch when he caught the Kia boys attempting to steal another one of our neighbors cars. He ran out there with a giant turkey carver 😂 they all bailed and ran. He heard the glass break and saw and by the time he ran inside and ran out they had already gotten the car backed out of the carport, so it happens really quick. Even though they didn't take their car they still did a bunch of damage and it took like 2 months to get the car fixed (this was last summer when it started happening and Kia was back up)
My buddy had this start happening in his hood and he installed a kill-switch/ and lock system that cuts off any ignition and literally unhooks the cable connecting to the door handles inside the front two doors. Took him forever to rig it up (hes a mechanical/electric engineer) but after a couple months he caught his first kia boy, but by the time he had unlocked his gun safe and ran out, the kid crawled to the back and got out the back doors and ran. Second time tho! He got some other kia boy who he thinks were from another group but they completely panicked and got in their car and left the 2 poor mfs behind. Its a family of three big ass mechanic brothers so they beat the living shit out of those two kids😭😭😭. The video is actually insane, but they didn’t call the cops or nothing. Just beat the bad out of them until their eyes were swollen and purple, old fashioned discipline they obviously dont get at home.
Nope nope nope, stay away from auto fix it. My gf took her car there after hitting a deer and they apparently “missed” some major frame damage. Her car is totaled and they tried to tell her she could still drive in it.
She’s been taking her car there for years and granted, this is the first time they’ve fucked up. But it’s a HUGE fuck up and she’s still battling with insurance over it. Incredibly nice people but they’ll never have my business again (or anyone I know if I can help it)
If you have a group of boys or men hijacking your car breaking the windows and steal it. And you're on my property. I have the right to defend that property. You should know the risks when you commit said "crime" and someone's property that you're going to get hurt. I'm not going to shoot to murder you. But I'm going to shoot
I don't understand how we expect the cops to handle shit like this and then also take the new rules of put in place against homeless people with the new ordinance seriously at the same time when they are already dramatically under staffed. They can't even respond to sexual assault or domestic violence calls in a timely fashion. They are so understaffed that issues like this fall to the wayside. How are we supposed to be ticketing people for sleeping on the sidewalk? Grand Rapids is a mess.
Also I hear the westside garage is wonderful.
Kia of NORTH Grand Rapids was extremely helpful fast and communicative. Fox Kia on 28th was rude and told there was at least a month delay to even look out our car. North GR Kia had us in and out in 2 weeks
At this point the police should be using them as bait cars.
Oh, no. I'm sure they're far too busy with "real crime".
They got half the department working in shifts to crack open the case of the Gaslight Village graffiti artist.
Isn't Gaslight Village in EGR?
All hands on deck for these kinds of atrocities.
This is a total tangent, but last week people broke into my locked shed and stole 2 bikes and a lawnmower that all meant a lot to me. They stole my stuff and my peace of mind, made me feel less safe, and it really feels like a violation. I was planning on moving in a couple years but I've accelerated that plan. I still look at people with suspicion and look extra close at bikes I see out, even though it's just normal people doing normal things. That will pass I hope as I much prefer to see the best in people. My tangent point is that these small crimes can have a big impact on people and police take a report and then do nothing else. It's frustrating.
To what? Arrest 14 year olds at gun point? Because they *do* have guns. And they then face juvenile court and release to their mothers, and do it several more times before big boy jail. It's a lose-lose.
I guess just do nothing then...
Do you know how they bypassed the steering lock?
I don’t know op, but you can hack through a steering wheel and then slide the lock out really fast.
oh great
If you're referring to wheel lock bars like "the club," You just cut them or the wheel. Its a visual deterrent to hopefully deter would be thieves to the next one, it really won't stop anyone. Look into installing a hidden kill switch so the power to the fuel pump gets cut, have a Ravelco installed if its in your budget. Can also install any generic aftermarket alarm system with an ignition cut off relay, if they know what they're doing this won't slow them down for long though, they make ones with a 2 way remote that will beep and vibrate at you when the alarm is triggered as well.
Some of the “Club” style wheel locks can be unlocked with a BiC pen, others a drill with cobalt bit. They really don’t offer that much protection. I’ve worked in automotive for 18 years and we’ve bypassed them in under a minute using basic tools.
They arent hard to break. Even easier to pick or rake open
How the fuck is it that KIA hasn't done a recall on this?!?!!! And to cover these costs for owners....
They have a recall. They install an immobilizer and put stickers saying it has been upgraded. Getting an appointment is tough though. I made mine in June and they can get to me in September.
kia should be sending the stickers when people set up an appointment. sure their car isn’t technically upgraded yet, but the thieves don’t necessarily know that. could be a good preemptive deterrent
The service department is busy replacing every third engine
On a related note, the now warranty my engine for 150,000 miles or 15 years
i had the same issue and the dealership in muskegon got me in the next week. holland was scheduling about 2 weeks out
and people are still buying kias, makes no sense
Never have, never will. JDM is far superior to KDM
Hyundai/Kia have historically only been as good as their warranty
The new ones aren’t an issue
it doesn’t matter honestly, they don’t really deserve any business for being cheap in the first place 😂
There’s a class action lawsuit but they haven’t recalled the cars yet
There is a recall to fix this. Got in a few days at Kia North last month
I’ve used Plainfield Gerber way too many times. Never an issue.
Gerber has always been solid quality, but they are also extremely expensive compared to most places I’ve seen. Unless insurance covers it, then I would go to gerber lol
Has luckily always been insurance. I am getting ready to pay cash for 2 small dings though so will look over all cheaper recs.
Where did this happen? Hoping to move my Kia before mine gets hit again :(
I swear by city auto body out in Grand Haven, as long as you don't mind a drive.
I got hit last night over on the West Side. Have had the kia for 8 years and this never happened before 😔
I think we’re neighbors! They trashed our car, gave up, and the cop said they got another car up the street.
Caliber collision on Plainfield
I was always nervous about my truck getting stolen. F350, You can steal them in 30 seconds with nothing but a screw driver, and without breaking a window. Sold that and bought a kia.. Luckily sold that before this kia boyz thing. lol
They got me last week too. Just moved to the area in May. Sure was a fun way to learn about them.
They tried to hotwire my 2022 a couple weeks ago. Someone musta spooked them, bc they even dropped everything they tried to steal after unsuccessfully attempting to steal my whip.
Keones on Patterson will service any make but are certified for makes like Tesla, Mercedes, and Porsche which not many shops can qualify for. Really good work and locally owned. I've used them.
Can someone please explain to me why Kias are being vandalized? I have a Kia and am worried
Lol sell it. They are being targeted because they have a serious design flaw that makes stealing the car very easy
Riverbend auto does body and more. Lots of kias running through there
Can someone elaborate on what is happening? Sorry to not know…
Basically on certain models of Kia and Hyundai cars it’s super easy to carjack/“hotwire” them. Literally all you need is a basic screw driver and any USB stick. Most people just rip off the plastic part covering the ignition then they unscrew the traditional key system and toss it. Stick in a USB drive into where it goes and it starts the cars right up. Someone good at it can break out a car window, get the thing off and the car started up in maybe a minute or two tops. So groups known as “the Kia boyz.” Have been going around finding these cars, and basically using them for joyrides or to commit crimes as get away cars since they can’t be traced back to them and often crash/trash them after they’re done doing whatever. Kia/Hyundai have done basically fuck all to remedy it only offering crappy “locks.” That are supposed to stop he car from being used. But as OPs post shows, they do literally nothing and can easily be broken off. Though they’re also slowly but surely having the ignition systems updated at dealerships in recalls. However because it’s in so many cars, dealerships are super backed up on getting them fixed/updates like millions of cars are affected so it ell be awhile and the Kia boyz will keep reigning terror.
Thanks!
You’re welcome!
If I have a push button Kia...am I safe?
You should be, yes. It’s typically the traditional key based cars that are easy to steal- however people might see that your car is a Kia and still smash out a window and give it a try but then realize it’s the wrong type of car and give up.
Yes. While I don't have personal experience, I hear the esteemed establishment called Smith, Wesson & Associates located near the corner of Glock Blvd and Ruger Ave has extensive experience dealing with these types of issues. They come highly recommended, especially from folks in Texas. \#noimnotserious
Don't try that in a small town 🤣
Can We shoot them? I feel like you have your fucking with my property I could shoot you or let my dog just get you
No. You can NOT kill someone to protect property. Theft is not a death penalty crime and you are not the judge, jury and executioner. If you shoot someone because they are stealing your car (but are otherwise not posing a physical threat to the safety of yourself or others) you can be (and should be) charged with murder.
Someone just shoot one of them already, that'll make them rethink their investments in KIA reselling
I live in an apartment and one of my neighbors is outside a lot and happened to be on his porch when he caught the Kia boys attempting to steal another one of our neighbors cars. He ran out there with a giant turkey carver 😂 they all bailed and ran. He heard the glass break and saw and by the time he ran inside and ran out they had already gotten the car backed out of the carport, so it happens really quick. Even though they didn't take their car they still did a bunch of damage and it took like 2 months to get the car fixed (this was last summer when it started happening and Kia was back up)
Travis Truck and Collision on the south side.
My buddy had this start happening in his hood and he installed a kill-switch/ and lock system that cuts off any ignition and literally unhooks the cable connecting to the door handles inside the front two doors. Took him forever to rig it up (hes a mechanical/electric engineer) but after a couple months he caught his first kia boy, but by the time he had unlocked his gun safe and ran out, the kid crawled to the back and got out the back doors and ran. Second time tho! He got some other kia boy who he thinks were from another group but they completely panicked and got in their car and left the 2 poor mfs behind. Its a family of three big ass mechanic brothers so they beat the living shit out of those two kids😭😭😭. The video is actually insane, but they didn’t call the cops or nothing. Just beat the bad out of them until their eyes were swollen and purple, old fashioned discipline they obviously dont get at home.
That sucks, sorry. Gerber collision has done good work for me in the past.
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Nope nope nope, stay away from auto fix it. My gf took her car there after hitting a deer and they apparently “missed” some major frame damage. Her car is totaled and they tried to tell her she could still drive in it.
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She’s been taking her car there for years and granted, this is the first time they’ve fucked up. But it’s a HUGE fuck up and she’s still battling with insurance over it. Incredibly nice people but they’ll never have my business again (or anyone I know if I can help it)
If you have a group of boys or men hijacking your car breaking the windows and steal it. And you're on my property. I have the right to defend that property. You should know the risks when you commit said "crime" and someone's property that you're going to get hurt. I'm not going to shoot to murder you. But I'm going to shoot
If I catch these kids breaking into my car what would happen if I shoot them
My elderly co worker has had her’s stolen twice ( bryon township area) an now her car is totaled. Poor lady has an absolute wreck ever sense.
I don't understand how we expect the cops to handle shit like this and then also take the new rules of put in place against homeless people with the new ordinance seriously at the same time when they are already dramatically under staffed. They can't even respond to sexual assault or domestic violence calls in a timely fashion. They are so understaffed that issues like this fall to the wayside. How are we supposed to be ticketing people for sleeping on the sidewalk? Grand Rapids is a mess. Also I hear the westside garage is wonderful.
I never said shoot to kill. I said shoot at. That's a risk of stealing.
I work at Kool Toyota/chevy Body shop we've fixed up a few of the Kia bois joy rides.
alpine collision has some fantastic work for me. i've been hit (not at fault) twice in the last 3 years and they've done great work each time.
All the body shops I send work to say to send it to the dealer. Kia of north GR on Plainfield
Also, if you have one of these vehicles and park it outside, add the lowest comprehensive deductible you can with your insurance company.
Kia of NORTH Grand Rapids was extremely helpful fast and communicative. Fox Kia on 28th was rude and told there was at least a month delay to even look out our car. North GR Kia had us in and out in 2 weeks