VISALIA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The increase in stolen cars in Visalia is because of a growing TikTok trend, officials say. Over the past couple of months, 22 teenagers have been arrested for stealing Kia and Hyundai vehicles, according to the Visalia Police Department.

Officials stated that the targeted cars are Hyundai vehicles from 2011 to 2021 and Kia vehicles from 2015 to 2021, and they just need a USB cord to jump-start them. 52 cars from the two manufacturers have been stolen, officials stated.

The Visalia Police Department says that the trend is growing and it’s concerning.

“48 of them happened in the last two months,” said Lt. Mike Verissimo from the Visalia Police Department. “So a lot of it came about for a TikTok challenge. It’s just an easy thing to do because they are bypassing the security measures.”

“After I started hearing about how it is coming more locally, I definitely park my car in the garage now,” said Nicholas Sanchez, a Hyundai owner. “I’m worried too because I rely on my car just to get around town just to get to certain places too to work.”

Investigators say that teens are allegedly working in groups of three or four, and they are targeting unlocked cars between 10:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.

According to officials, one teen who was arrested was just 13 years old.

“The group we have identified and made the most arrest range from 13 to 19 years of age. Typically these arrests are happening in the middle of the night,” said Verissmo. “Several of them have been involved in pursuits when officers tried to stop them. They’ve run from the cars after trashing them, and they are getting arrested for hit and run.”

According to detectives, the blame would also be on weak state laws when it comes to auto theft.

“It’s just a part of law enforcement today some of these juveniles can be released before officers have time to complete the report,” Verissimo said.

The Visalia Police Department advises people to lock their cars and roll the windows up, and to put an aftermarket alarm security system on the car if it does not have it.

Due to a recent settlement with Kia and Hyundai, if you drive an affected car you may be eligible to receive money for damages or even to buy an aftermarket security system. For more information, you could contact (888) 498-0390 for Hyundai and (844) 886-9411 for Kia.