Kia Boys Documentary (A Story of Teenage Car Theft)
Tommy G1 HN recommender · recommended in 1 month, 2022–2023
documentary · general · 2022–2023 on HN
A Milwaukee vlogger follows teenagers known as the Kia Boys who steal Kia and Hyundai cars after a security flaw went viral on social media. The film includes interviews with participants.
It is cited as a firsthand look at the Kia and Hyundai theft wave, usually in threads about car security and juvenile crime.
Up next
2 mo on HNCan The Human Body Handle Rotating Artificial Gravity?
Scott Manley
2 HN recommender · 2021–2025
12 mo on HNDon't Talk to the Police
Regent University School of Law
13 HN recommender · 2017–2026
10 mo on HNYouTube's copyright system isn't broken. The world's is.
Tom Scott
13 HN recommender · 2020–2024
11 mo on HNAntonin Scalia - On American Exceptionalism
AmericanRhetoric.com
12 HN recommender · 2019–2025
10 mo on HNThe Cardboard Box Reform - Nixon's Ghost Bill & A Crucial Flaw in Democracy
CRI
9 HN recommender · 2014–2025
8 mo on HNSeattle is Dying | A KOMO News Documentary
KOMO News
10 HN recommender · 2019–2024
7 mo on HNEverything is a Remix (Original Series)
Kirby Ferguson
7 HN recommender · 2017–2026
7 mo on HNThe Machinery Of Freedom: Illustrated summary
bitbutter
4 HN recommender · 2012–2020
6 mo on HNCybersecurity as Realpolitik by Dan Geer presented at Black Hat USA 2014
Black Hat
1 HN recommend · 2014–2023
5 mo on HNThe House I Live In Official Trailer #1 (2012) Drugs Documentary Movie HD
Rotten Tomatoes Trailers
4 HN recommender · 2013–2015
7 mo on HNCivil Forfeiture: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
LastWeekTonight
8 HN recommender · 2014–2024
6 mo on HNTobacco: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
LastWeekTonight
6 HN recommender · 2015–2021
8 comments from Hacker News
The "Kia Boys" in Milwaukee stole almost 10,000 cars last year, mostly Kia and Hyundai models lacking immobilizers. That's 1 car theft per 58 city residents, in a single year. This gonzo documentary on the phenomenon's worth watching: ▶ this video
Not to mention every street interview with a criminal involves them gleefully detailing how they only get a misdemeanor and let out easily. ▶ this video link
If you haven’t heard of the Kia boys over here in the states, it’s definitely something. This vid is…a bit controversial but the Kia boys are definitely a thing in Milwaukee: ▶ this video
I'm used to snide refusals to have this discussion. In the interest of salvaging some bit of useful discourse, I'll reply to your points in order: - Not to any great extent. Crime rates, tracked independently by murder rates (it's hide to hard bodies) and the National Crime Victimization Survey, broadly match arrest and incarceration rates by race. There is a slight bias towards longer sentences for black criminals, but this shrinks to a ~10% longer sentence duration for violent crimes as you include prior convictions and the severity of the crime. Not surprising given that wealthier defendants, as non-black criminals tend more often to be, can afford better lawyers. The studies I recall were also done before the current wave of "reform" prosecutors like Chesa or Kim Foxx. Here is one think-tank's analysis: link - Do you hold this position about genes that cause Huntington's disease, breast cancer, or Alzheimers? Do you think the carriers of MAOA-2R want to experience uncontrolled violent aggression? Do you think we should at least offer them a choice? Do you think parents who can afford it will waver when given the choice to offer impulsiveness- and intelligence-enhancing gene therapies to their children? Do you think it fair for those options to be available only to the wealthy? - It's come up a lot recently and I live in a city where the issue is pressing. Maybe you've heard of the Kia Boys: ▶ this video - The graphs on the Twitter links cite sources which you clearly refused
They steal them drive them around recklessly for a few hours, the crash into a light pole. Its not professional criminals stealing these cars, its 13 year old kids: ▶ this video
Milwaukee vlogger's experience hanging out with car-stealing "Kia Boys:" ▶ this video Over 10,000 cars were stolen in Milwaukee in 2021. That's one stolen auto for every 60 Milwaukee residents, young and old. South Korea's full of vulnerable Kia and Hyundai vehicles, yet doesn't have this problem of teenage serial car thieves. American social dysfunction is a big part of the equation that results in the numbers above.
From what I know all of this originated in Milwaukee with the original "Kia Boyz"[0]. It's been going on there for years - to the point where I've seen wedding invitations that explicitly state not to bring a Kia/Hyundai to Milwaukee. Additionally, car rental companies will not rent Kia/Hyundai anywhere near Milwaukee. As is the case with most car thefts they are an absolute menace to the streets. "Drive it like it's stolen" is a very real thing[1][2]. Warning - discussion on this topic gets especially racist very quickly so as usual ignore the comments. Seriously, don't even look. [0] - ▶ this video [1] - link [2] - link
There is actually a very real concept that known penalties deters crime. If you stop any significant punishment, criminals are aware, emboldened, and crime increases. Milwaukee is recently reeling in thousands of reckless car thefts, and this is what the perps say themselves: "I know people who have got 200 car thefts, 300 car thefts." Interviewer: "Have you thought about how you would do that time?" "Shit, you only get 3 weeks. It's a misdemeanor!" Interviewer: "You only do 3 weeks for stealing a car?" "Hell ya, it's a misdemeanor." ▶ this video