Chevy Camaros appear to be an attractive target for car thieves in Los Angeles County and it's a trend law enforcement agencies in Orange County are now watching closely.
The Los Angeles Police Department reports a 500% increase in stolen Camaros, particularly in the Newton area near South LA. Car thieves are using key clone devices to break into newer models, according to the LAPD.
Miguel who chose not to share his last name, almost became a target after a group of men attempted to steal his Chevy Camaro, which he described as his dream car.
On March 8, thieves tried to make off with his vehicle and broke his driver-side window in the process.
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"Next thing I heard an alarm go off," said Miguel. "I thought it was my dad's truck, sadly it wasn't, it was my Camaro."
Miguel, a car technician, said he knew exactly how the men were trying to take his car.
"I saw a suspect inside with a handheld device trying to either hack into the computer or program the key to the car," said Miguel.
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About the size of a cell phone, these devices contain a programming tool that picks up the signal of a key fob nearby. Key fobs are intended to lock or unlock doors, and some newly programmed keys are used to start the ignition.
According to LAPD, two Camaros were stolen in Newton in 2023. Year-to-date, there have been 10 Camaros stolen in the same area and at least 90 Camaros were stolen city-wide year-to-date.
The Newton Gang Enforcement Detail recently arrested a juvenile found in possession of a key cloning device on Feb. 24.
While there is no clear explanation why Camaros are being targeted, car thefts have generally increased over the past decade. According to the LAPD, nearly 30,000 vehicles are stolen every year in Los Angeles.
Some law enforcement agencies believe Camaros are being targeted because they are very popular at street take-overs.
"We've seen a lot of these people who attend these takeovers primarily used to have Chargers, Challengers," said Seargent Antonio Castellanos of the LAPD. "They're starting to migrate to Chevy products primarily the Camaro."
Orange detectives are now searching for the group of men who tried to steal Miguel's car.
"I know these are teenagers or young adults trying to have fun out there," said Miguel. "I can't lie, they are fun to drive, (they're) amazing. Why would you take someone's dream car away."
There are a few suggestions to prevent falling victim to car theft. For owners of Cameros, purchasing security cases can help distort the signals transmitted from the key fob.
Wrapping fobs in aluminum foil or placing them inside tin cans has also proven effective, according to the LAPD.
