24-03-2025
How Did Somebody Already Steal a C8 Corvette ZR1?
A group of thieves who targeted the Chevrolet Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky last week reportedly made off with eight brand-new 'Vettes — including an early example of the hotly anticipated 1,064-horsepower Corvette ZR1.
According to a report by ABC 13 Bowling Green, all of the cars have been recovered, and one suspect has been arrested.
The theft report from the Warren County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) was shared on Facebook by Corvette salesman Mark Thomas. According to the account, a WCSO officer spotted one of the stolen Corvettes before it was even reported missing: the report reads that a 'new maroon Corvette' was spotted at the Laurel Ridge apartments, and authorities say they suspected of being stolen, as it was still wearing all the stickers and coverings from the factory.
WCSO contacted the Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD), according to the report, but BGPD had no reports of any vehicles being stolen at that time; General Motors then checked its inventory and discovered that as many as eight vehicles were stolen.
According to Thomas's account of the sheriff's department, the thieves cut through a fence in order to extract the cars from warehouse lot. A couple of the stolen Corvettes were reportedly found at the Laurel Ridge apartments, while another was allegedly found about a quarter of mile down the road and a couple others reportedly recovered about two miles away.
Bowling Green P.D. public information officer Ronnie Ward told ABC 13 that two suspects were attempting to move the vehicles out of town when authorities caught up with them, with Thomas adding that the pair were reportedly attempting to sell a couple of the Corvettes in a Lowes parking lot. Police say they pursued the suspects, and arrested 21-year-old Deantae Walker of Westland, Michigan. He is charged with receiving stolen property of $10,000 or more, fleeing or evading police and resisting arrest.
Local resident Tyson D Wade posted pictures of new Corvettes, including what appears to be a 2025 ZR1, on the "Spotted in Bowling Green" Facebook group. In the photos, you can see a BGPD cruiser in the background and one of the Corvettes loaded on a flatbed truck. This appears to be the Lowes parking lot were the suspects were trying to sell the cars.
Police say they're continuing to search for the other suspects that were involved in this Corvette heist. In the meantime, we'll be on the lookout for any official statements or court transcripts in which Walker may reveal a bit of information about what it's like to drive the new C8 ZR1.
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