Hyundais and Kias were the top stolen cars in the nation last year.
That's according to the national insurance crime bureau. And thanks in part to a viral TikTok video showing how thieves can use a simple cord and drive off with the cars.
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But there is a way to safeguard a vehicle for free.
Meghan Glova's car was a disaster when it was finally found after being stolen.
"I called the police," Glova said. "They told me it was a Hyundai and may have been targeted."
Glova, a Capitol Broadcasting Company employee, had her Hyudai Elantra stolen in 2023. It was one of hundreds of thousands of Hyundais and Kias targeted after a viral TikTok trend showed you could hijack them with a USB cord.
Garner police have seen the increase in thefts of those models.
In 2022, they virtually had no thefts. But in 2023, 37 Hyundais stolen and 47 Kias.
As of summer 2024, 24 Hyundais and 12 Kias have been hit in thefts.
In 2023, the car makers offered free software updates to roughly 8.3 million cars that can be stolen with the aid of a USB-A cable.
But Garner Police Capt. Chris Adams said a simple measure can be a gamechanger for your safety.
"This is just as easy as a software update," Adams said.
It's a simple wheel lock and it's free. It can give you instant peace of mind, whether you have those models or any other type of car or truck.
"Sadly, the bad guys know which vehicles they can target," Adams said. "If they see an opportunity they are going to take advantage of it this is a tool drivers can use to prevent that."
It's something Glova is now using and encouraging others to do as well.
"I figure if anyone is looking at my car and they see that, then it's less likely to get taken again," she said.
Garner police will give the wheel locks away for free. They are also available at most police stations throughout North Carolina.
If you do use a vehicle lock, Garner police said make sure you put the key on your key chain and don't leave it in the car or in a cup holder.