(WHTM) – Police in Pennsylvania say there’s an uptick in thefts involving Kia and Hyundai vehicles.

These vehicles were targeted in recent years by thieves amid a social media trend called the ‘Kia Boys’ or ‘Kia Hyundai Thefts.’

Some automakers have increased their theft prevention technologies in response to the trend. Kia and Hyundai vehicles built after 2023 have engine immobilizers built in, and dealerships can install them for free.

“All I can say is residents should be vigilant,” said Blake Iorio, with the Lower Paxton Township Police Department, told abc27 last October. “You start to see a common trend as the weather gets cooler, people start to keep their car unlocked and warm up their vehicles during the colder months, leaving their keys inside. That’s a crime of opportunity. A lot of people take that and steal cars at that time.”

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, certain Hyundai and Kia vehicles were among the commonly stolen vehicles in Pennsylvania last year.

Rank	Make and Model	Total Thefts
1	Hyundai Elantra	1,081
2	Hyundai Sonata	972
3	Honda Accord	725
4	Honda CR-V	704
5	Jeep Grand Cherokee	522
6	Nissan Maxima	464
7	Honda Civic	455
8	Kia Optima	409
9	Nissan Altima	372
10	Infiniti Q50	371

Philadelphia was the epicenter for car thefts in Pennsylvania last year and ranked among the top 10 in counties with vehicle thefts nationwide. The county did see a significant decrease in thefts last year, with more than 3,000 fewer thefts.

Top 10 Year-End National Vehicle Theft Rates by County
County	State	2023 Thefts	2024 Thefts	2024 Thefts by Volume Rank	2023-2024 Theft Percentage Change
Philadelphia	PA	15,845	12,166	8	-23%
Allegheny	PA	1,615	1,879	79	16%
Delaware	PA	1,197	920	146	-23%
Montgomery	PA	1,024	902	149	-12%
Bucks	PA	818	684	182	-16%
Berks	PA	445	388	287	-13%
Lehigh	PA	423	353	305	-17%
Dauphin	PA	430	336	310	-22%
York	PA	476	288	335	-39%
Northampton	PA	229	257	359	12%

More than half of the vehicles stolen in Lancaster City in April and May 2023 were Kias and Hyundais.

“If you’re able to park your vehicle in well-lit areas, [do it],” said Lieutenant Glenn Stoltzfus of the Lancaster City Bureau of Police. “If you have access to it, park it in a private garage.”

Police say you can also get a steering wheel lock to deter thieves.