2 ‘Kia Boys’ arrested, facing numerous felonies
It’s a problem we’ve been telling you about for months, the rise in Kia and Hyundai thefts. This morning, the so-called “Kia Boys” are in custody, charged with several felony crimes.
For months, there has been a rise in Kia and Hyundai thefts. Local authorities say these particular models are easy targets for thieves. Part of this rise is because of a video that started showing up on social media last year showcasing how to steal the cars. This has led to a trend in criminals dubbed as the “Kia Boys”.
According to the Bellevue Police Department (BPD), 18-year-old Ralphe Manuma of Tacoma and 18-year-old Ardrell Davis of Lakewood were recently taken into custody.
- 5 counts of first-degree robbery
- 1 count of unlawful imprisonment
- 1 count of possession of a stolen vehicle
- His bail was set at $750,000
- 5 counts of first-degree robbery
- 1 count of unlawful imprisonment
- 1 count of taking a motor vehicle without permission in the second degree
- His bail was set at $500,000
The BPD says on Sept. 19, two gas stations in Bellevue’s Eastgate neighborhood were robbed. In one of the robberies, a suspect violently assaulted a clerk by hitting him in the head with a gun before running away with cash and other items from the store.
While working with investigators in those specific areas, it was revealed that all six robberies were likely related.
Detectives learned Favis was a suspect in multiple other felony investigations, which included an incident that happened in Lakewood on Sept. 12.
Manuma was arrested on Dec. 2 in Pierce County and Davis was arrested by a Bellevue SWAT team at his home on Dec. 12.
