We know criminals like fast, expensive cars, including the Camaro which has seen theft rates increase 1,171% in Los Angeles. The owner of a 2020 Chevy Camaro ZL1 also knew this and was prepared. That paid off when some would-be thieves showed up at his house overnight recently.
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The man, Conrad Bautista, told KTLA he knew it was a question of when, not if, thieves would try taking is beloved muscle car. That’s why he invested in not only an alarm but also a security system which prevents key cloning from working.
Back on March 15 at 4 am he heard his Camaro’s alarm going off and checked his surveillance cameras. That was a smart move, because had he opened the front door he likely would’ve been shot. One of the thieves had a gun pointed at the front door just in case while another was trying unsuccessfully to get the vehicle started.
Even though his car wasn’t stolen, Bautista seemed shocked and shaken that the thieves were ready to kill to get it. And that’s what we’ve been warning about for a long time as car theft rates kept ratcheting up.
Now we’re seeing not only armed carjackings but also home invasion robberies where criminals are looking for car keys. Sadly, those sometimes end with someone being hurt or killed, even when the victims comply.
KTLA spoke with law enforcement, although it didn’t say which department, who told the news station vehicle owners should not only get a “high-tech anti-theft system” for their car, but also they shouldn’t leave their key fob in their vehicle. They also counseled about putting fobs in a Faraday cage.
Police in Toronto famously told citizens recently to stop using Faraday cages and other methods to keep thieves from stealing their cars, warning that it will only make the thieves violently target them directly. We think it’s a little late for that, as this case with the ZL1 clearly shows.
Image via KTLA 5/YouTube
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