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The Chevy Camaro ZL1 whitethorn look for illustration nan eventual Hot Wheels car, but it's besides basking wheels for car thieves. It tops nan latest Highway Loss Data Institute report of nan astir stolen cars successful America, which says it's 39 times much apt to beryllium stolen than nan mean car. It's astir doubly arsenic apt to beryllium stolen arsenic nan second-place car, nan Acura TLX pinch all-wheel drive. Other versions of nan Camaro shouldn't consciousness near out, arsenic they return 3rd spot connected nan list.
The Camaro is simply a notable objection successful nan apical 20, being nan only sports car connected a database dominated by trucks and SUVs. Comparable top-end Ford Mustangs, Dodge Charger Hellcats, and moreover Corvettes don't make nan apical 20 astatine all. What is it astir nan Camaro successful general, and nan ZL1 successful particular, that makes it truthful desirable to thieves? It's not conscionable nan 650-horsepower 6.2-liter LT4 V8, or because this car erstwhile sent a Jalopnik writer to jailhouse for speeding. HLDI believes it's because of a information vulnerability that makes nan Camaro easier to bargain than different cars.
"In nan lawsuit of Camaro ZL1, it is very desirable to thieves, and, connected apical of it, there's a vulnerability that makes them comparatively easy to steal," Matt Moore, main security operations serviceman astatine HLDI, told CBS News. "Due to nan vulnerability, pinch nan correct knowledge and correct bits of technology, personification who tin summation entree to nan wrong of 1 of these Camaros tin bargain it comparatively easily."
Trading information for convenience

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Keyless introduction is simply a bully modern convenience, but it has besides made cars easier to steal. Thieves tin intercept cardinal fob codes, clone them, and use them to get wrong a car. Once there, they tin plug into nan OBD2 port, tap into a headlight wire, aliases moreover use Bluetooth speakers to move connected nan ignition and bargain nan car.
Chevrolet is already offering owners of 2020 done 2024 Camaros a free package update to amended security, apt to spot nan utilization that thieves are using. HLDI says a similar attack has led to a 46% reduction successful Hyundai and Kia thefts after a melodramatic increase. In this case, a package upgrade added an immobilizer usability that these cars lacked erstwhile built.
According to HLDI, thefts of 2016 and newer Camaros spiked successful 2023 and continued to emergence done 2024. Keyless introduction was introduced successful 2016, truthful Camaros apt became overmuch easier to bargain erstwhile thieves figured retired really to hack nan system. The ZL1's goodies make it a premier target, but nan aforesaid keyless introduction strategy whitethorn beryllium utilized connected each Camaros, which would explicate why non-ZL1 models are besides celebrated pinch thieves. It's worthy noting that 9 of HLDI's apical 20 stolen vehicles are GM products, chiefly versions of nan Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Cadillac Escalade. Late-model Camaro owners should make an assignment pinch a trader to get nan free package update and hopefully make these cars harder to steal.