After thieves tried to steal a Long Beach man’s prized possession, his 2020 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, he’s sharing his story on how the armed theft crew didn’t get away with his cherished ride.
Conrad Bautista, a self-described “car guy,” knew exactly what was happening when his vehicle alarm system began blaring at around 4 a.m. March 15.
“No doubt at all,” he told KTLA’s John Fenoglio. “I’ve been kind of preparing myself for this.”
The Long Beach resident is not shy about his love of the car but is aware of how much thieves like it too.
“It’s a dream car of mine,” he explained.
So, when he heard the alarms, he immediately checked his home surveillance cameras.
“The scariest part is they’re holding a gun to my front door,” he said. “If my wife or my teenage daughters or anybody would’ve opened that door, they’re dead.”
In the footage, one of the three suspects has a handgun set on the front door while another suspect tries to start the ZL1 and the third suspect waits in a getaway car.
The problem for the crooks, however, is that Bautista was prepared.
“I had an anti-theft system installed in the vehicle, so I was ready for that,” he said. “They were not able to start it.”
In these types of heists, police say thieves often use key cloning devices, a programming tool about the size of a cellphone, that picks up the signal of a nearby key fob and clones it.
With just a little research into the proper anti-theft system, car owners can prevent this tactic.
Last month, the Los Angeles Police Department released the jaw-dropping statistic that Camaro thefts have increased by 500% in the last year alone.
Jose Gonzalez, who builds and restores classic cars, has advice for anyone who owns a highly desirable vehicle, like the Camaro ZL1.
“If your car is being stolen and you have to call law enforcement, don’t play sheriff. Let law enforcement do their job,” he advised. “Your anti-theft systems are going to slow them down and this is going to help you stay safe.”
Despite the thieves’ inability to escape with his car, the gravity and danger of the situation was not lost on Bautista.
“They’re willing to kill you for a vehicle. That’s the scariest part,” he said. “That I’m not prepared for.”
Police encourage car owners to invest in a higher-tech anti-theft system and said owners should never leave their key fob in their cars or nearby while it’s parked. Car owners can also purchase a security case that prevents the fob’s signal from transmitting.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Long Beach Police Department.