Hi, I’m about to take ownership of my first Camaro and am already nervous about it being stolen. Is there a preferred theft recovery/GPS tracking system that is preferred by law enforcement? Any one that is more reliable or better than others?? Thanks in advance!!!

 

There are various aftermarket tracking and alarm devices. I suspect most "experienced" thieves know how to defeat them.

Get agreed value insurance from a company like Grundy or Haggerty as when your car is stolen, you get an agreed value for its loss. Typically these types of policies require your car be garaged, not your DD. Agreed value is typically more than the car could be sold for

 

Just about any part on your car that is an actual GM parts has value. You can make a fortune parting out an original car.

Well if mine get stolen I am not 100% sure I want it back. There is a reason insurance companies total lightly damaged stolen cars. If you don't get it back in hours who knows what the car has been through. Insurance companies like closing cases not dealing with issue found a year after a car was recovered. Example: Hey my tires are wearing funny, your fame is twisted or worse they do something to the brakes/steering that would be tuff for a mechanic to find then you get hurt.

After saying that I keep two apple air tags in my my 67 and one in my GTO. I have seen on the news the police will not really do anything with the info, one guy watched his Escalade drive to the shore and went into a dock. Police said they could not get a search order for the hole dock. He watched it go over seas. I think the cops know the insurance company is just going to pay it off so they don't bother recovering a parts car.

 

Amen to all the above!

There are, to my way of thinking, two kinds of automotive predators: professional and amateur. Professional thieves bring tow trucks or firearms to the party, and unless you already have your .45 Auto out, cocked, and fueled with serious intent, you will lose to the pros, so mind your insurance. But kiss your Camaro goodbye, as it might well be fully disassembled or on its way overseas before you, or the police can do anything.

So, my theory of retention or recovery is focused on amateur predators, and my preference is: prevention is more realistic than recovery. Therefore, that is where I focus my efforts.

Retaining your car is a combination of planning and luck. Planning says, keep it in your garage when you’re not playing with it, make your garage very secure, and make your Camaro very difficult to start when you are out and about, but not near it. For example, it’s out on the parking lot while you’re in the grocery store.

Here’s my solution: First, because I love my Camaro but do not worship it, Hood Locks. Round-key difficult-to-pick hood locks. The amateur is in a hurry, and probably is not equipped to destructively raise your hood. So, why does he need to raise your hood? The answer to that leads to part two of making it very difficult to drive away with your beautiful toy. Remove 12V DC from engine and starter. This is done with a battery disconnect between your negative lead and its attachment to primary ground, which is usually a front bolt on the engine. This BD is activated by a remote on your key-ring, so with the hood locked, and the battery isolated, it is going to be very hard to start your car. Here is what the hood locks look like on my Camaro:



They engage with receptors you install on the top of your radiator support and I have not found a reasonable way to access them, so do not lose either of the keys, main or spare.

Here is the battery disconnect that I bought:




A word of caution. This device will work equally well no matter which battery terminal it interrupts, but the intelligent installer will realize that an “oops” on the negative lead as it journeys toward its connection to the frame/engine is only a source for ‘language’, whereas the positive lead “oops” between any exposed point and that same frame results in the working definition of a welder, and causes much consternation. Advice: do battery return, aka negative lead. Also, carry correct wrench to allow moving both leads under one of the two bolts, on the off-chance that this ‘made in China’ device or its fob goes on vacation.

Ahh, another plus for the hood locks: predators will also find it difficult to steal valuable parts from your engine...

An ounce of prevention, blah blah blah