Reported car thefts in Colorado decreased 25% from 2023 to 2024, according to a new Colorado State Patrol report released Wednesday.
In 2024, Colorado faced 24,575 reported stolen vehicles, averaging a per capita rate of 415 stolen vehicles per 100,000 residents, the report said. In 2023, the number of reported stolen vehicles was 32,976, averaging a per capita rate of 560 stolen vehicles per 100,000 residents.
“This reduction in 2024 played a crucial role in decelerating Colorado’s motor vehicle theft pace when compared to the earlier years of 2018-2022 experiencing a 98% increase,” the report read.
“This means that a lot of the great things that your local law enforcement, local government, the State government, and every vehicle owner in Colorado are doing – are working,” read a press release from Colorado State Patrol. “Auto theft continues to fall dramatically. This does not mean you can take a break or relax your vehicle security habits.”
The report pointed to the governor’s office 2019 creation of the Colorado Department of Public Safety’s Crime Working Group to help tackle auto theft crimes and 2023 state legislative bills to address the rampant crime as reasons for the drop in thefts.
Still, the National Insurance Crime Bureau ranked Colorado as the No. 4 spot for vehicle thefts per capita in the U.S. in 2024.
The vehicle recovery rate for 2024 stands at 82% — the lowest point in a 5-year comparison, the report found.
The Chevrolet Silverado truck and Hyundai Elantra car had the highest volume of reported stolen vehicles with 1,071 and 969 thefts, respectively. The report encouraged owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles to contact their local dealerships for an upgrade to the vehicle security systems.
Out of 4,291 vehicle theft cases filed in Colorado courts last year, the report said 77% involved additional criminal charges related to the motor vehicle theft cases. Last year’s court data found 13% of vehicle theft cases filed carried charges associated with violent crimes.
The report said Colorado has been the victim of large-scale auto theft rings operating across the state, “significantly” contributing to overall auto thefts. There are “numerous” large-scale auto theft rings under investigation with an estimated loss in value in the tens of millions of dollars, the report said.
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