So my coworkers z06 was stolen from our work garage

[theprototype]

And now I'm paranoid that it could happen to me any day because we park right by each other. Outside of my manual transmission do we have any good protections against theft? He said that the thieves broke his drivers window and within about a minute disabled his alarm system (2018 so not that old) and drove off. I let my onstar lapse but I guess it would be a good idea to renew that to start. I don't know what I'd do if someone even made an attempt at my car.

 

[rdollie]

Yikes. Might have to pull a fuse when you park (and leave the car unlocked and empty.) Sucks what this country has become of late...

 

[SonnyAK]

I run an Owl cam in the car. It functions as a dash cam, but when parked it acts as an active security system. It'll send a notification to your phone through it's own SIM card, then you can see in real time what's going on in/out of the car and respond accordingly. You can also speak through the camera and hear what's happening inside the car. It works off a very sensitive shock and motion sensor and does an excellent job. It certainly provides some extra peace of mind and has given excellent service during the last 4 years that I've had mine. Thieves and vandals suck!

Owlcam | AI-Powered Car Security Dash Cam

owlcam.com

 

[Daijoubu]

And now I'm paranoid that it could happen to me any day because we park right by each other. Outside of my manual transmission do we have any good protections against theft? He said that the thieves broke his drivers window and within about a minute disabled his alarm system (2018 so not that old) and drove off. I let my onstar lapse but I guess it would be a good idea to renew that to start. I don't know what I'd do if someone even made an attempt at my car.

I'm guessing they just flat bedded it out? Otherwise, GMs are basically impossible to start without a key signal. I harp on this all the time, especially to my neighbors that leave cars outside... DISABLE THE PROXIMITY KEY AT NIGHT. In the Cadillac, it's super easy. After you get out and close the door, press and hold the lock and unlock button for 5 seconds and the lights will flash 4 times. The only way to unlock and subsequently start the car is by pressing the actual unlock button on the fob first. A key signal is worthless in this case. Not sure if that would help in this situation, but it can't hurt.

 

[MatthewAMEL]

Apple AirTag is another insanely cheap/easy way to track things. Virtually impossible to find and works anywhere there is cell service.

 

[Lithoss]

Apple AirTag is another insanely cheap/easy way to track things. Virtually impossible to find and works anywhere there is cell service.

Sort of. Tile and Airtags work with Bluetooth networking. It relies on other people with the tile app (iPhone or Android) or iPhone nearby. Then the phones call the locations into the home server, and voila your tile/airtag location is tracked.

So yes, cell service is required, but also someone else with a iPhone or Tile app nearby.

Still great devices, highly recommend.

I'm in that industry so I like to clarify, sorry

 

[dwgcooks]

Just tried the 5 second holding of the lock button. Not only did the car flassh four times it also closed my drivers window. Neat trick

One bad point about the Airtags is that they will notify an iPhone if it is nearby for a certain amount of time. One day my daughters friend was over to play and we got alerts about an Airtag being nearby. We asked about it and it was in the friend's backpack.

I put a bouncie OSBII port GPS tracker in another car. I mounted it with a Y connection OBDII so the stock port is there and the Bouncie is tucked away in the dash. Real time tracking for 8 bucks a month. Around $100 for the unit.

 

[theprototype]

I'm guessing they just flat bedded it out? Otherwise, GMs are basically impossible to start without a key signal. I harp on this all the time, especially to my neighbors that leave cars outside... DISABLE THE PROXIMITY KEY AT NIGHT. In the Cadillac, it's super easy. After you get out and close the door, press and hold the lock and unlock button for 5 seconds and the lights will flash 4 times. The only way to unlock and subsequently start the car is by pressing the actual unlock button on the fob first. A key signal is worthless in this case. Not sure if that would help in this situation, but it can't hurt.

Key wasn’t anywhere nearby and all he said was after a minute of breaking the window they were driving it out of the garage. No flatbed. I don’t want to pretend to know how they did it but I’m sure there’s always a way. I’ll have to look into some of these options you guys have mentioned.

Is the OnStar system any sort of protection? Trying to decide if it’s worth renewing that too.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

And now I'm paranoid that it could happen to me any day because we park right by each other. Outside of my manual transmission do we have any good protections against theft? He said that the thieves broke his drivers window and within about a minute disabled his alarm system (2018 so not that old) and drove off. I let my onstar lapse but I guess it would be a good idea to renew that to start. I don't know what I'd do if someone even made an attempt at my car.

I can tell you what you'll do, because it is what I did:

Just about had a heart attack when I got this text a few weeks ago. I was sitting in my office and my car was in my work garage a few blocks away. I literally dropped everything and ran to the garage like a crazy person, and found....nothing. No evidence of a break-in, the same cars were parked next to me as had been when I had parked a few hours ago. No idea what triggered the alarm.

Be safe out there, kids.

 

[TheShark]

I can tell you what you'll do, because it is what I did:

View attachment 17026

Just about had a heart attack when I got this text a few weeks ago. I was sitting in my office and my car was in my work garage a few blocks away. I literally dropped everything and ran to the garage like a crazy person, and found....nothing. No evidence of a break-in, the same cars were parked next to me as had been when I had parked a few hours ago. No idea what triggered the alarm.

Be safe out there, kids.

I've had this - first time found the EZPass sitting on the passenger seat.... suction cups failed and set off the motion detector. Next time - before I learned you can turn off the motion detector (overhead console button), we left the dog in the car and that movement set it off.

 

[Tall Steve]

Damn I'm lucky, because at my place of employment my car is parked next to my shop/office and I leave the fob in the center console.... Granted the property is secured by armed personnel and is highly monitored....

I worry more about my cars in my ghetto neighborhood than I do at work...

 

[Exia]

As a fellow Z06 owner, that hurts to read.

I don't know what I'd do if it was stolen, they don't make em anymore and I had to order mine because nobody had what I wanted. I very much doubt I could find an identical one to replace it with.

Honestly there's only so much you can do, GM vehicles shouldn't even start without the fob so if they pinged his fob to get into the vehicle your best bet is a Faraday pouch to keep your key signal blocked or do what was said above to turn the key off.

Beyond that there isn't much more, Onstar can track the vehicle if you pay for that although I guess you would have to hope that they didn't steal it to wreck it. I'd imagine most higher end thieves would know how to block or disable the Onstar signal so the car can't be tracked by the time they stick it into a container to ship off.

 

[TXBeau]

What part of town? I work right off the Katy freeway and park in the garage at work, but a coworker had his Sierra stolen from the ‘secured’ lot about a year ago.

 

[1Evil55]

If they want it, they'll get it.
Personally? I'd leave it to my ride or die partner to cover while I'm gone.
<-----

 

[Speed Racer 007]

Key wasn’t anywhere nearby and all he said was after a minute of breaking the window they were driving it out of the garage. No flatbed. I don’t want to pretend to know how they did it but I’m sure there’s always a way. I’ll have to look into some of these options you guys have mentioned.

Is the OnStar system any sort of protection? Trying to decide if it’s worth renewing that too.

I wonder if he had some type of service done to the car recently? As it sounds like someone copied/coded his key and knew where he parks it. This happened to my buds GT500, turns out the upholstery place copied and coded another key and presto, car was gone in 30 seconds, just broke the window to gain access.

 

[jbawden]

Thanks to this thread I just ordered a some faraday FOB pouches and a larger pouch to keep spare key sets. Seems like this simple step is going to mostly prevent theft except for the tow-away thieves.

 

[Neveready]

If they want it, they'll get it.
Personally? I'd leave it to my ride or die partner to cover while I'm gone.
<-----

1+. Take it from the guy who lives in Chicago.

I'd suggest signing up for the OnStar package this way if it's stolen you can track it. They can cut the power to the accelerator and at least you'll get it back.

 

[Speed Racer 007]

If they want it, they'll get it.
Personally? I'd leave it to my ride or die partner to cover while I'm gone.
<-----

x10000%

I'll never forget what happened to my buds 70 Boss Mustang. Parked in his home garage, armed with security out the ass and had 2 rottweilers that slept in the kitchen which had the door to the garage, woke up, car was gone, and garage door was left wide opened, never saw his car again.

 

[ernsteeng]

https://www.amazon.com/MAS-Vehicle-Starter-Interrupt-Removeable/dp/B078NJN3QC

Years ago my dad bought a car from a dealership that was regularly getting cars stolen from their lot. They installed this little computer chip on their cars and prevented a lot of the thefts. This was 25 years ago and I don't know if thieves can defeat something like this nowadays, but it worked for that Northern Indiana Chevrolet dealer.

 

[1Evil55]

1+. Take it from the guy who lives in Chicago.

I'd suggest signing up for the OnStar package this way if it's stolen you can track it. They can cut the power to the accelerator and at least you'll get it back.

Not sure but I think that was at me. Just want to clarify for the record that I don't live in Chicago. 20 some miles west to be close. But definitely NOT Chicago. It's bad enough I have to say Illinois.