Philly police resume wheel lock program meant to curb Kia and Hyundai thefts. But only if you sign a waiver.

The Philadelphia Police Department is resuming a free wheel lock distribution program for Kia and Hyundai drivers almost a year after having discontinued it over legal liability concerns.

The program — offered by Kia and Hyundai to law enforcement agencies across the United States — is designed to deter break-ins following a nationwide surge in thefts of the car brands sparked by the Kia Boyz Challenge, a viral TikTok trend from 2022 that encouraged users to post videos of themselves stealing the cars with just a screwdriver and USB cord.

Thefts of Kias and Hyundais increased by more than 1000% from 2020 to 2023, according to insurance data collected by Highway Loss Data Institute, a car safety group. The trend exploits a lack of theft protections in turnkey Kia and Hyundai vehicles made before 2022, prompting some insurance companies to blacklist the cars and 17 cities — Philly not included — to sue the car makers over claims that alleged cost-cutting measures created a situation that strains police resources.

Kia and Hyundai reached a $145 million class action settlement in early March that would allow payments of as much as $6,125 to people whose Kia or Hyundai manufactured between 2011 and 2022 was stolen.

» READ MORE: Are you eligible for the $145 million Kia and Hyundai settlement? What to know about applying.

In Philly, the Kia Boyz Challenge caused Kia and Hyundai thefts to increase almost 2,000% between 2021 and 2023, according to police data, which has Kias and Hyundais accounting for more than 37% of all car thefts and break-ins from last year.

To date in 2024, Kias and Hyundais account for more than 23% of all auto thefts and break-ins, in line with a national decrease that car safety experts attribute to a mix of wheel-lock distributions, a security software update from Kia and Hyundai, and the fleeting nature of social media trends.

“I think the TikTok fad has worn off a little,” said Michael Brooks, the executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “Maybe it’s not as cool as it once was.”

» READ MORE: A national TikTok trend is sparking thefts of Kias and Hyundais in Philadelphia — and residents are feeling the impact

The police department’s program (which is cheekily dubbed OWL for Operation Wheel Lock and began Wednesday) makes free wheel locks from Kia and Hyundai available in all 21 precincts on a first-come, first-served basis. To obtain one, residents must:

The Philadelphia Police Department is the only law enforcement agency Brooks has heard of requiring a waiver for wheel locks, devices that he said been “relatively effective” for decades at delaying or stopping car thefts.

Wheel locks have been used since at least the 1920s. The large locks are actually bars that wrap around a steering wheel and require a special key to unlock.

“What is [the police department] trying to protect themselves from?” said Brooks. “I’m having trouble envisioning a scenario in which they could be held liable for providing an anti-theft tool to consumers.”

Last year, the Philadelphia Police Department handed out 284 wheel locks to Philadelphia residents before shelving the program, citing liability concerns and the lack of permission from upper command staff to request the devices. At the time, Kia and Hyundai said the PPD was the only law enforcement agency out of 725 program participants to end the distributions.

» READ MORE: As Kia and Hyundai thefts climb in Philly, police halt wheel lock distribution program designed to curb crime

“The PPD was, and still is, happy to assist Hyundai and Kia in getting wheel locks to their customers,” said Jasmine Reilly, a police spokesperson. “The PPD wanted to [first] establish a policy to ensure that the wheel locks were being distributed to the intended recipients.”

Reilly said the the waivers are meant to make clear that the wheel locks don’t guarantee foolproof theft protection, and that the PPD hasn’t inspected the locks, so they can’t make any claims that the locks themselves work as they should.

“I understand that the Philadelphia Police Department is handing me a free steering wheel lock that the Kia and Hyundai corporations have bought and paid for,” the waiver reads. “The Philadelphia Police Department has not inspected this lock and makes no warranty, express or implied, as to whether this lock is effective; it is provided to you ‘as is.’”

Brooks is concerned that the waivers could leave Kia and Hyundai owners with less incentive to take advantage of the program.

“Anytime there’s an additional step involving someone signing a document they may or may not understand the need for, there could be some hesitation,” said Brooks. “It’s not like they’re signing a waiver to get a complex software update. It’s a wheel lock.”

Still, Brooks cautioned that wheel locks alone are not enough to prevent thefts.

He recommended that turnkey Kia and Hyundai owners go to their dealership to get their respective manufacturers’ suggested free security software update, which revamp the cars to require a key in the ignition to start.

“Without fixing more of these cars, you’re going to still see elevated theft rates of Kias and Hyundais,” Brooks said.

» READ MORE: What to know about the Kia Boyz Challenge in Philly and how to protect your vehicle from theft