DENVER - Nearly 20,000 vehicles were stolen across Colorado in 2017, according to the Auto Theft Intelligence Coordination Center (ATICC) The exact figure was 19,488 and that works out to about 375 stolen vehicles per week or 53 cars stolen per day.
Tuesday, a statewide campaign to help prevent car theft through education and awareness kicked off on Tuesday.
Coloradans Against Auto Theft, law enforcement, and community partners joined forces for the summer auto theft prevention campaign. Their goal is to educate everyone about the domino effect that can occur when a car is left unlocked.
“Auto theft is not just a property crime, in fact, 97 percent of adults charged with auto theft also commit additional crimes, making it a threat to the whole community,” said Colonel Matthew Packard, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol in a release. “It’s imperative that we educate our communities about the risks associated with leaving their cars unlocked."
Top 10 Stolen Vehicles in Colorado in 2017 (ATICC):
Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Subaru Impreza
Ford F-250
Chevrolet Silverado
Jeep Cherokee
Ford F-350
Ford F-150
Dodge Ram Pickup
Subaru Legacy
Auto theft rates in 2017 were up eight percent over 2016, and 31 percent over 2015 when 14,859 vehicles were stolen.
ATICC’s 2017 annual report indicates that Friday and Monday showed the highest volume of auto theft, while Sunday showed the lowest.
Data indicates that there were 1,240 auto thefts in the month of July 2017, up 47% from the month of July in 2014. View the ATTIC 2017 annual report here.
Top Five Colorado Cities for Auto Theft in 2017 (ATICC):
Denver
Colorado Springs
Aurora
Pueblo
Lakewood
The “Lockdown Your Car” campaign, which coincides with National Auto Theft Prevention Month, pairs traditional advertising with community events to remind drivers not to make themselves an easy target for car thieves.
