The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has surged to the top of America’s most-stolen vehicles list, according to a new report from the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI). The high-performance muscle car recorded a theft rate 39 times higher than the industry average, while the standard Camaro wasn’t far behind at 13 times above average.
The HLDI study highlights that high-horsepower vehicles and pickups dominate the top 20 most-stolen list. In contrast, EVs and plug-in hybrids appear least targeted — likely because they’re often parked in secure, well-lit charging spots.
The spike in Camaro thefts appears linked to a vulnerability in its keyless entry system. Thieves reportedly exploit diagnostic ports to clone key codes without needing the actual key fob.
Camaro theft claims were steady until 2022, but numbers shot up in 2023 and 2024 — especially for 2016-24 models, which use push-button starts. States like California, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Maryland reported the highest theft frequencies.
To combat this, GM launched a free software update in March 2025 for 2020-24 Camaro owners. The update is aimed at deterring thefts, much like a similar campaign by Hyundai and Kia, which successfully reduced theft claims by over 50% for upgraded vehicles.
Camaro owners are urged to visit dealerships for the update and take additional theft-prevention steps. Enthusiasts might love the ZL1’s power, but clearly — so do the wrong people.