Thieves are targeting one type of car above all others, with this U.S. vehicle stolen far more frequently than any other make or model, new data shows.
The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which retails for around $75,400, had a theft rate 39 times higher than the average for all vehicles with the model years 2022 to 2024, according to a new report from the Highway Loss Data Institute, or HLDI.
The Camaro ZL1 is America’s most stolen car, a new report shows. Model years 2022-2024 are 39 times as likely to be stolen as the typical car, with the Highway Loss Data Institute noting that thieves are attracted by its powerful horsepower.
Car and Driver
The model is a high performance version of the lower-cost Chevrolet Camaro, whose theft rate was 13 times higher than the average for the same 2022-2024 model years.
The Camaro sports car retails for between $32,495 and can rise to around $50,000, depending on the finishings, transmission type and other options a buyer selects.
To determine the most commonly swiped vehicles, the HLDI analyzed stolen vehicle data for 2022-2024 car models between the years of 2021 to 2024. Their analysis hit upon a few shared traits between many of the cars favored by auto thieves.
“What all vehicles in top 20 have in common is that they are relatively expensive, relatively powerful and in many cases they are pickup trucks,” Matt Moore, chief insurance operations officer at HLDI, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Muscle cars are attractive to thieves because they are looking for vehicles with high horsepower, the group said.
The Camaro models have another feature that make them vulnerable: on-board ports that contain vehicle data, such as fuel emissions and performance stats, but can also serve as a point of entry for thieves.
“In the case of Camaro ZL1, it is very desirable to thieves, and, on top of it, there’s a vulnerability that makes them relatively easy to steal,” Moore said.
“Due to the vulnerability, with the right knowledge and right bits of technology, someone who can gain access to the inside of one of these Camaros can steal it relatively easily,” Moore said, noting that he didn’t want to describe the process more precisely so as not to encourage thieves.
Earlier this year, Chevy owner General Motors released a software update for 2020 to 2024 Camaro models that was aimed at improving security.
“This body control module software enhancement involves an important security update for certain model year 2020 to 2024 Chevrolet Camaros,” a GM spokesman said in a statement to auto blog GM Authority. “GM counters vehicle theft methods as they evolve. We regularly work with law enforcement agencies to identify emerging tactics that may affect our products and make updates as needed to defend against them.”
The 20 most stolen vehicles
Pickup trucks and other pricey or powerful models were also frequently stolen, and appear on the list of the top 20 vehicles with the highest claim frequencies for entire vehicle theft, according to the report.
The Honda-owned Acura TLX 4WD, a roughly $46,000 sport sedan, was stolen at a rate that was 21 times more than the average, making it the second most commonly stolen vehicle type, according to HLDI’s report. The Chevrolet Camaro was the third most-commonly stolen model.
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Acura TLX 4WD
Chevrolet Camaro
GMC Sierra 2500 crew cab 4WD
Acura TLX 2WD
GMC Sierra 3500 crew cab 4WD
Chevrolet Silverado 3500 crew cab 4WD
Dodge Durango 4WD
Land Rover Range Rover 4WD
Ram 1500 crew cab short-wheelbase 4WD
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 crew cab 4WD
Ram 3500 crew cab long-wheelbase 4WD
Honda CR-V hybrid 4WD
GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab 2WD
Dodge Durango 2WD
GMC Sierra 1500 crew cab 4WD
BMW X7 4WD Large luxury SUV
Mercedes-Benz S-Class long-wheelbase 4WD
Jeep Gladiator crew cab convertible 4WD
Cadillac Escalade ESV 4WD
The 20 least frequently stolen vehicles
There was a common thread among the vehicles that thieves tended to shy away from: Eight of the 20 least stolen vehicles were electric, while two were plug-in hybrid models, according to the report.
“Based on the fact that many of these are ‘connected’ vehicles, just having one of these stolen electric vehicles is not an easy thing, it’s a high-risk proposition,” Moore said. “In addition, they need to be charged on a regular basis, so many of their owners likely have garages.”
That means fewer of them show up on streets, providing thieves with less opportunity to steal them, Moore explained.
“They aren’t sitting on streets overnight, and therefore they are less vulnerable,” he said.
Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.
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