A surge in stolen Kia and Hyundai cars has plagued parts of New York throughout 2023. The thefts stem, in part, from a viral challenge on TikTok, which have led to juveniles taking part in the crimes, and in one recent instance, a fatal crash that killed the driver of a stolen vehicle.

Spectrum News 1 looked into if the ease of taking the cars, and if enough is being done to deter young New Yorkers from stealing.

In Syracuse, 1,010 cars have been stolen this year. Around 40% are Kias and Hyundais. In Rochester, a little less than 3,000 cars have been taken from January to November, with 71% being Kias and Hyundais. Two-thirds of the cars stolen in Buffalo this year have been Kias and Hyundais.

“One thing that the youth need to understand is that each and every single situation had repercussions," said Clifford Ryan, the founder of OG's Against Violence.

Some of those repercussions were fatal.

Most recently in Syracuse, a 15-year-old male crashed and died in a police chase after allegedly stealing a Kia. In September, a sheriff’s deputy shot and killed two teenagers after investigators say a group of teenagers stole two cars.

When it comes to the law, some believe the consequences should be stricter.

“I think that there definitely could be more and away of accountability for our youth," said Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, public information officer for the Syracuse Police Department. "No one wants to see our youth, obviously, get locked away and stay in prison for the rest of their life. That’s not what we’re advocating for, but there needs to be some reasonable level of accountability.”

The increase of crimes involving juveniles has led to polarizing discussions on bail reform. It eliminated cash bail for most misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies. People accused of those crimes are let go without restrictions as the case plays out, or released under certain conditions.

“I think we can reform the behavior and keep them safe if we have punishments that fit the crime," Malinowski said.

As for the possibility of teenagers being influenced down the wrong path, Ryan hopes they remember one thing.

“I always encourage the young people to be leaders, and to follow the role models of positive influence," Ryan said.

In light of the most recent incident, the Syracuse Police Department is partnering with a Hyundai dealer. They’re holding anti-theft software upgrade events all of next week as the problem persists across the state.