'Kia Boys' flee police in Washington before crashing, chopper footage shows

Two teenagers were arrested in Washington state after a crime spree that ended at a Seattle mall, police said.

The 14- and 16-year-old crashed a stolen red Hyundai Sonata into a pole at the Southcenter Mall on March 26, leading to their arrest after they bailed and ran, according to the Renton Police Department. Authorities also identified another 14- and a 15-year-old as suspects who are believed to have been in the same car but evaded capture.

A 911 call earlier that afternoon reported that a passenger in a red sedan had used a gun to threaten two young boys, ages 8 and 10, but that no one was hurt, the department said in a news release on Facebook.

Chopper video released by KCPQ-TV shows the Sonata driving in front of on-coming traffic and blowing through several red stop lights. The car drove at 65 mph and crossed the center lane multiple times, police said.

A resident in the Seattle suburb of Renton had reported their 2016 red Hyundai Sonata stolen shortly before the spree, the department added.

Suspects found with stolen marijuana

After the arrest, officials found "a significant amount of marijuana product" on one of the teenagers and learned that it was from a store brand that experienced a recent theft.

"Juvenile crime is an epidemic. We see it almost daily," Chief Jon Schuldt said in a statement. "We are so lucky no one was injured in this situation, but it’s only a matter of time. We need not only to start talking about this escalating situation, but we need to start focusing on solutions, which include accountability for actions.”

Schuldt said the department is working on probable cause to charge the arrested teens and working to see if the other two who evaded arrest could be charged, according to FOX13.

The two arrested teens were released to their family members and an investigation is ongoing, police said.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Renton Police Department for an update on the status of the pending charges but they did not immediately respond on Tuesday.

Law firm:Kia, Hyundai car owners can claim piece of $145M theft settlement next week

Four teens are members of 'Kia Boys'

The department said that the four teenagers are "well-known to police and members of the Kia Boys."

A viral TikTok trend known as the "Kia Challenge" exposed Kia and Hyundai vehicles' lack of an immobilizer, leading many "Kia Boys" to use screwdrivers and USB charging cords to steal vehicles.

The trend has prompted Kia and Hyndai to settle a class action lawsuit by Seattle-based law firm Hagens Berman, for $200 million.

A month later New York City filed a suit against the automakers, accusing Kia and Hyundai of failing to install immobilizers in their vehicles, according to the 39-page suit filed in the Southern District of New York.

Contributing: Jonathan Limehouse and Natalie Neysa Alund