Here we go again...newest member of the stolen SS club...

[Spec]

Dang! So sorry for your loss...

For mine, I can only hope that it is too old for it to be affected by the type of electronic technology some thieves are using to get into our rides.

And as for a tow, it'd be very tough to pull my ride out from underneath my parking stall where it sites for a few days out of the week. There are steel bars to the left of me, and an old expedition that hardly ever moves to the right of me.

I am also strongly considering getting a motion detector security camera system installed...

You know what would be really cool... an APP that you can put on your phone that's connected to a motion sensing alarm inside your car. You activate it like you activate any normal alarm... and if anyone gets in, you get warmed by some crazy, end-of-the-world ring tone.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by Spec

For mine, I can only hope that it is too old for it to be affected by the type of electronic technology some thieves are using to get into our rides.

Unfortunately its not. All fifth gen Camaro's are affected.

[Kens ss]

The LS3 engines seem to be a popular choice for older Chevy Resto-mods.
I bet the ring is a main supplier to some shady resto shops.

Sad and unfortunate that people do business this way.

Sorry for what happened to you. Hope all works out with ins. Kind of odd that you only joined the forum with a user name used to own an ss? Nice of you to join to warn others.

[Nor Cal ZL1]

Random kill switch, disable electric door locks, remove components necessary for the car to run.

[drew peacock]

sorry to hear this..
dont they just lift them up on the back of a truck..
i wouldn't own a special car with no garage..i wouldn't sleep if i had to leave my baby outside.

[White_Camaro]

Is it easier for them to steal the camaros because of onstar or something else?

[MikosV6]

Too much noise lifting them with the back of a truck. There is some type of major security flaw with these cars that are allowing car thieves to gain easy access to them. Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to find out how they're actually doing it on this forum though. You may have to go elsewhere to look up that information if it's even available online somewhere.

[Nor Cal ZL1]

Originally Posted by drew peacock

sorry to hear this..
dont they just lift them up on the back of a truck..
i wouldn't own a special car with no garage..i wouldn't sleep if i had to leave my baby outside.

They pop the electric door locks, disable on star and drive away in about 2 minutes.

[Nor Cal ZL1]

Originally Posted by White_Camaro

Is it easier for them to steal the camaros because of onstar or something else?

Yes, it is very easy. There are a few methods being used, and the electronics are alway exploited and the door locks actuated. Once in onstar is removed or disabled in seconds, the car is fired up and driven away. I would not go anywhere near the bay area without a random kill switch.

[Low Saturn]

Originally Posted by drew peacock

dont they just lift them up on the back of a truck..

For random thefts here and there throughout the country, that may be the case. With these theft rings stealing large quantities of these cars, they have a much faster and easier way of taking them.

I remember seeing on a documentary about professional car thieves, I think it was on the National Geographic channel, showing a device the size of a small tablet thieves plug into the OBDII diagnostic port. They said they used it to disable GPS tracking, security functions and even start the car. Thats much easier than using a tow truck. It makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Most of the cars systems are accessed through that port. Modern cars are computers with wheels and an engine. Seems like hackers have found a way in.

Along with a physical way of keeping the car from starting, relocating or removing the diagnostic port might be another layer of protection for our cars.

My main worry is that if the cars get more difficult to steal while parked, thieves might result to more violent ways of acquiring them. Like with the owner still being behind the wheel. I've actually been a victim of this.

[CurtiSSWatson]

Cali is having a huge Camaro theft rate. Sorry for your loss, it hurts my heart just to think of it. Reimbursement for a car that a person has bonded with is not enough.

[Moto-Mojo]

Yikes. I live here, though not in the Bay Area. I might have guessed they'd end up on a slow boat to Russia but if they're finding stripped shells still in N CA, it must be more local resto's. I remember when GM SUV's were going (fully assembled) to Mexico in the 90's out of CA and TX.

Anyone seen an insurance spike in Cali for owning a Camaro???

[GrandAmGT]

Originally Posted by Kens ss

The LS3 engines seem to be a popular choice for older Chevy Resto-mods.
I bet the ring is a main supplier to some shady resto shops.

Sad and unfortunate that people do business this way.

Sorry for what happened to you. Hope all works out with ins. Kind of odd that you only joined the forum with a user name used to own an ss? Nice of you to join to warn others.

So are the thieves mainly targeting V8's? Very disturbing to hear that restoration shops are knowingly providing a market for these theives. Do you think the owners of restored cars know the engines are stolen? California has a much more intense car culture than we have here in Podunk, Virginia. My wife's car has been broken into three times in front of our house but that's because she forgot to lock it each time. Our thieves just take valuables from cars and not the vehicles themselves.

[Kens ss]

Originally Posted by GrandAmGT

So are the thieves mainly targeting V8's? Very disturbing to hear that restoration shops are knowingly providing a market for these theives. Do you think the owners of restored cars know the engines are stolen? California has a much more intense car culture than we have here in Podunk, Virginia. My wife's car has been broken into three times in front of our house but that's because she forgot to lock it each time. Our thieves just take valuables from cars and not the vehicles themselves.

I just know the LS3 is a popular choice, therefore there is a market or them. Anytime there is a market for something, there will be those wanting to capitalize either legally or illegally. New LS3 crate engines start at 6k. Think of the money to be made selling stolen engines for, say 2k

The stolen engines are being sold to someone, other than that my comments are only logical assumptions.