2 teens accused of stealing vehicle in Volusia County possibly inspired by social media trend (Volusia County Sheriff's Office)

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Two teens face charges after they are accused of stealing a vehicle that was possibly inspired by a social media trend, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said they spotted a Kia Soul minutes after it was reported stolen on Dec. 19.

According to a news release, the driver fled and the vehicle was later found crashed, but “two juveniles were tracked down in the area and confirmed to be the occupants.”

Deputies said they were able to connect the teens, age 17 and 15, to several other cases.

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Officials said that a Deltona resident who was aware of a TikTok trend helped them by reporting two Kia Souls speeding past his house.

The sheriff’s office helicopter was able to spot the second Kia, also abandoned in the area, and led deputies to it, according to the release.

A @CityofDeltonaFL resident aware of the TikTok trend also helped us out that day by reporting two Kia Souls speeding past his house. Air One was able to spot the second Kia, also abandoned in the area, and led deputies to it. Great work all!!

— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) December 30, 2023

In February, News 6 reported that Kia and Hyundai thefts were on the rise after a TikTok challenge. The so-called Kia challenge, first posted over the summer, shows how to hot-wire Kia and Hyundai cars with a USB cord and a screwdriver.

In May, Hyundai Motor America and Kia America announced that they reached a settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit prompted by the surge in vehicle thefts.

The sheriff’s office said they have had several reports of thefts and attempted thefts of Kia vehicles in Deltona as part of the social media trend.

The two teens face multiple charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle and criminal mischief, deputies said.

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Jacob joined ClickOrlando.com in 2022. He spent 19 years at the Orlando Sentinel, mostly as a photojournalist and video journalist, before joining Spectrum News 13 as a web editor and digital journalist in 2021.