Sixth-Gen Camaro Theft Is Soaring–the Reason Is Simple
While theft in L.A. is up nearly 1,200 percent this year, it’s been ‘carmeggedon’ for Chevrolet’s recently retired nameplate nationwide.
Car theft is usually a plague in metro areas compared to smaller towns and rural areas–the bigger the pond, the more fish to catch. And while this adage still generally holds its weight, the Camaro is having a really, really bad day these days.
In L.A. city alone, theft rates for the sixth-generation Camaro have skyrocketed since Q1 of last year by approximately 1,173 percent. And while this is in a specific part of the U.S., pretty much the entire nation has seen an uptick in the pony car swiping scene. But why? Is it nostalgia gone wild? Some rich tycoons hoarding everything?
No, it’s an OBDII port vulnerability which makes any one of them a Gone in 60 Seconds candidate. And it’s not just Camaros, either. If you haven’t at least locked this down, you’re in for a nasty surprise when you wake up in the morning. You can take that from me, personally, as the hero photo at the top is of my 2018 Camaro 1SS that you may have seen here on LS1Tech, which was stolen last November.
While you may think this doesn’t apply to you because you have a garage or storage, you may want to rethink that attitude. Your next grocery store run may turn your car into broken glass and heartache. See the example below of my newly-acquired 2SS Camaro being broken into after a brief stop, like a flash in the pan:
Proof You Need an OBD Blocker + Killswitch in California
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Hopefully, you get the picture at this point. But trust me when I say there’s more to this phenomenon than you think. It’s not just joyriders, or “kids just being kids.”
How They Are Doing It
Thieves use a handheld diagnostic tool purchased from Ebay or some other source, tap into your car’s “neural net,” program new keys and drive right off. Fuse for the OnStar system is pulled immediately, or the system is deactivated via the handheld.
They then take your vehicle and slap a “For Sale” sign on it, and post it on Facebook or other platform via private groups for merely a few grand.
Or, you just might see your car in a random takeover video and watch the horror show.
All your hard earned money, years and pride sold for a quick buck, or trashed for thrills.
Why Law Enforcement Is Overwhelmed
Car theft in 2024 is a serious issue, and it is due to a number of interlinked issues and (of course) discrepancies between legislature and law enforcement. The formula goes a little somemthing like this: easy-to-hack ODBII port + affordable but potent powerplant + wobbler offense status for grand theft auto = main course for theives.
Granted, that last part of the equation (Penal Code 487(d)(1)), is pursuant to California, however the punishment is more or less the same across other states. “Wobbler,” meaning that a prosecutor has the option of charging “grand theft auto” as either a misdemeanor or felony–as opposed to it being an automatic felony like in other states. First-time offenders get up to a year in prison if charged as a misdemeanor, and up to three years as a felony. Theft rings would just employ another grunt who has no priors to do the crime.
As you can see, it’s not hard to see how this would give organized crime and other amatuer hour low-lives an opportunity to wreak havoc without much worry. Put all the trackers you want on your car (and you should, anyway), but if it is stolen and you file a police report, chances are they will simply tell you to take it up with your insurance. Even if you have a real-time location to give them.
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Simply put, law enforcement doesn’t have the resources to go and enact justice because it is happening so frequently and can’t keep up. Which is one reason Instagram accounts like @stolencarsandrucks_la do their best in getting the community involved to spread the word.
The “OBD Port” part of the equation comes to blows with manufacturers. It doesn’t help that GM doesn’t want to make the key programming feature a dealer-only affair, but there are reasons for this, I’m sure. The reality of it is that it is honestly the only backend solution that would solve this problem–outside of using blockers, killswitches, brake/clutch locks and other deterrents.
History of Theft
To be fair, this isn’t exactly a new precedent. The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that between 1981 and 2014, there were 486,783 reported thefts, and that was after reporting protocols and vehicle identification number (VIN) systems in use became standardized in 1981.
Flash forward to the end of the fifth-gen in 2015, and you’ll see an uptick in thefts, but nowhere near the rate that 2016-2024 Camaros are stolen. But why? Fifth gens have an OBD port all the same. The issue, not surprisingly, is CANBUS related, insofar as the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) system on the sixth-gen is concerned. Fifth-gens use a traditional turnkey solution, hence the reason they largely remain untouched.
10-/8-Speed Transmissions & Manuals Both On the Menu
Please don’t assume that because you have a TR-6060 that you have some leverage. Here is footage of a Camaro SS 1LE being pushed down the street:
Be aware that these vehicles are coveted for their parts, namely in the SS and ZL1 models, which are the ones that are stolen the most. And in some cases, thieves looking to hustle don’t care if they grenade your ENTIRE drivetrain if they can part out your motor and strip the rest of the car bare. LTs, LT1s and RS’ also get targeted, but not as much.
It’s a Brave New World moment for Camaro owners right now, which itself is an understatment considering the chaos the 2020s seem to be leverging on our society. And with so many poor Camaros being stripped, parted and destroyed, please do the right thing and protect your Camaro by all means!
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