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TikTok trend prompts Spokane Hyundai to offer free fixes preventing vehicle theft

Corporal Nick Briggs, left, a public information officer from the Spokane Police Department, talks about car thefts Wednesday at Spokane Hyundai in Spokane Valley with Craig Fruin, center, service manager at the local Hyundai dealership. Fruin’s dealership is holding a weekend event in which Spokane Hyundai will offer free updates to Hyundais that are susceptible to theft. Mark Gregory, public information officer from the Spokane Sheriff’s Department, is standing on the right. (Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review)
By Alexandra Duggan alexandrad@spokesman.com(509) 459-5469

“TikTok thefts” are becoming so common that Spokane Hyundai is offering free fixes on certain models Saturday and Sunday to prevent the sweeping trend of stealing cars.

A video on TikTok went viral last year showing viewers that certain 2011-2021 Kias and Hyundais were made with a flaw, making them susceptible to theft because they don’t have a security device in the key fob. Thieves were able to insert a USB cord into the ignition and drive away. Most of these vehicles were recalled – those with Kias and Hyundais can manually enter their VIN number on the dealership’s website and check if they qualify for a free fix.

Spokane Hyundai General Manager Craig Fruin said the fix equips the car’s computer with a software update that requires a specific key fob to unlock the car. If the car isn’t unlocked with the key fob, it won’t start, preventing thieves from stealing it.

The fix is free, Fruin said, and Spokane Hyundai is encouraging those with 2011-2021 models to come in over the weekend and spend about 30 minutes of their day to stop a potential problem that would cost much more in the long run if the car was stolen. The dealership is offering gift cards, snacks and beverages for those who show up.

“It’s important to us and the customers that we don’t sit back and hope … that our customers don’t fall victim to this,” Fruin said. “Hope is a terrible strategy.”

Spokane Police Cpl. Nick Briggs said over the summer the city has seen a large uptick in Kia and Hyundai thefts, mostly by juveniles. City and county law enforcement established a Kia and Hyundai theft task force in September as a response, which slightly decreased the rate of thefts the recall is aimed to address, Briggs said.

According to Spokane County crime data, vehicle theft soared to 916 last year, an increase of nearly 37% compared to 669 car thefts in 2021.

The county has recorded 581 car thefts through September of this year.

The crime data available Wednesday did not delineate the make, model and year of the stolen cars and trucks.

Briggs said car thefts also tend to peak during the colder months because people are leaving their cars unlocked and running to warm up. Sometimes, said Spokane County Sheriff Cpl. Mark Gregory, people stop at 24-hour marts to run in and grab a cup of coffee or a snack, thinking they will only be gone a couple of minutes – and someone prowling around the area sees an opportunity to steal the car.

“People hang around businesses like that,” Gregory said. “Just take the 2 seconds to shut your car off and save yourself a lot of time on the back end.”

No one is blaming the victim of a crime, Briggs said, but more preventative steps taken by the vehicle’s owner will help the rate of car thefts in Spokane County.

Gregory also said he believes the car theft rates are so high because it takes a long time to hold someone accountable for the crime.

“If we don’t start holding people that commit crimes in this county accountable, why would they ever stop?” Gregory said. “We have to start getting tough on them.”