Chevrolet's new 1064-horsepower Corvette ZR1 is apparently such a hot commodity, criminals can't even wait until it reaches dealerships to boost the supercar-slaying 'Vette. A pair of Chevrolet Corvette ZR1s were stolen straight from the Bowling Green, Kentucky factory on Friday, August 8 — marking the second time this year that examples of the C8 have been taken straight from their birthplace.
Earlier this year, Road & Track reported on a set of Corvettes that were stolen and taken on a joyride before being located by the Bowling Green Police Department, and the story hasn't changed much this time. A statement from the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Corvette Plant spokesperson, Rachel Bagshaw, confirmed that two crown jewel Corvettes were stolen from the factory last Friday before being recovered by a multitude of local law enforcement agencies.
"The Kentucky State Police, Bowling Green Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office were swift in their response and successfully located both vehicles," Bagshaw said to local news organization WBKO. "We are grateful for the support and partnership with all law enforcement involved."
It's not immediately clear how the thieves managed to sneak away with the powerful sports cars, but according to WNKY News, officers of the Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD) came across the 'Vettes and the suspects in a parking structure at Western Kentucky University. A statement from the BGPD states that the pair of thieves took off in different directions; an Arctic White Corvette ZR1 was located within the confines of Bowling Green after hitting spike strips laid down by officers with the Bowling Green Police Department, while a Sebring Orange ZR1 was located nearly three hours away in Martin County, Indiana.
A police scanner enthusiast in Bowling Green, Kentucky, who goes by Roseanna Phelps on X live-tweeted the incident as it was reported. According to the user, the ZR1 models were seen driving away from the factory with the white factory wrapping still on, with the Arctic White Corvette reportedly hitting spike strips on Louisville Road near the plant. Kentucky State Police and the Warren County Sheriff's Office allegedly engaged in pursuit that reached speeds above 100 mph. While the Arctic White Corvette ZR1 was stopped in Bowling Green, the Sebring Orange Corvette ZR1's multi-state pursuit — which reportedly topped speeds of 180 mph — included law enforcement officials from Butler County and Ohio County in Kentucky, as well as the Martin County Sheriff's Office in Indiana.
One arrest has been made related to these stolen Corvettes: a 20-year-old Detroit man was booked into Warren County Regional Jail early Saturday morning by the Bowling Green Police Department and is being charged with various felonies including first-degree fleeing or evading police in a motor vehicle, first-degree wanton endangerment, and theft by unlawful taking or disposition of an automobile between $10,000 and $1 million. Similarly, the Martin County Sheriff's Office is seeking public information related to a 26-year-old suspect who was allegedly behind the wheel of the Sebring Orange ZR1.
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