Chevrolet Camaro models are being stolen in Los Angeles at record rates, utilized in street takeovers, and subsequently sold on social media for just a few thousand dollars each.
Police in the city of Angels have revealed that thefts of Chevy Camaro models have jumped more than 1,000% this year, with 90 examples being stolen across January and February, compared to just 7 units the year prior. The reason? Thieves are purchasing a complex electronic device that allows them to create a clone key in less than three minutes.
In February, the Los Angeles Police Department busted a 16-year-old with a small handheld computer that can create a replacement smart key and bypass a vehicle’s security system. Speaking with the LA Times, investigators say users simply need to select the year, make, and model, and the computer can reprogram a car’s ignition.
“This young person was stealing the Camaros and taking them to street takeovers and then selling them for $2,000 or $3,000 on social media,” Newton Division captain Keith Green revealed to the LA Times. “A 16-year-old was capable of stealing high-end cars.”
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Authorities arrested this 16-year-old and turned him over to his parents late last month. While they don’t know how many vehicle thefts can be tied directly to him, the case is now in the hands of the district attorney’s office who will decide whether to file charges.
In other jurisdictions across Los Angeles, there have been other reported cases of thieves using other electronic devices to create a duplicate electronic key fob.
Well, of course, thefts like these, along with those using relay attacks, aren’t just becoming more common in Los Angeles, but in many other parts of the world as well. Owners can keep their vehicles safer by storing keys inside Faraday boxes, wrapping them in aluminum foil for that fashionable touch, or installing steering wheel locks and fuel cut-offs, because who doesn’t want their car to be as secure as Fort Knox?