DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado continues to lead the nation in motor vehicle thefts and new data shows things aren’t slowing down.
Colorado ranked first in the nation last year for auto theft according to crime data and in the first six months of 2022, that rate has already increased by 17%.
The data for the list comes from the CAPTA Metro Auto Theft Task Force. The data is based on thefts from July through September, and 2,845 cars were stolen in the Denver metro area in just a three-month span.
The top 10 stolen vehicles in the Denver metro area are:
- 1. Kia Sportage, 467 thefts
- 2. Hyundai Tuscon, 389 thefts
- 3. Hyundai Sonata, 368 thefts
- 4. Chevy Silverado, 355 thefts
- 5. Kia Optima, 332 thefts
- 6. Hyundai Elantra, 274 thefts
- 7. Kia Sorento, 199 thefts
- 8. Ford F-250, 163 thefts
- 9. GMC Sierra, 150 thefts
- 10. Kia Soul, 148 thefts
Those coming from all of Denver metro. In Aurora alone, the numbers are also unsettling.
From Sept. 12 through Oct. 9, 376 vehicles were stolen in the city. As of last week, year to date, the city sits at 5,322 vehicles. That’s a 27.6% increase since last year in the same time frame. District one has reports of the crime happening more frequently.
According to the FBI’s most recent data out of 185 cities, Denver sits at No. 1 and Aurora is No. 3 for motor vehicle thefts.
To avoid being part of these statistics, Aurora police have some advice: always protect yourself by locking your doors and never leave your car running unattended. It’s also good to invest in a steering wheel lock, at around $40 it could save you a ton of hassle.