Worst Cities For Vehicle Thefts In Jefferson County: 2020 Report

Lakewood CO

02 February, 2021

11:03 AM

Description

JEFFERSON COUNTY, CO — After the pandemic hit Colorado, a surge in vehicle thefts was seen across Denver's metro area, according to a new report by Colorado's Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force. There was a 23 percent increase in vehicle thefts in Jefferson County in 2020, but some cities saw a much higher increase: Wheat Ridge: 92 percent increaseEdgewater: 77 percent increaseGolden: 67 percent increaseLakewood: 56 percent increaseArvada: 44 percent increaseWestminster: 39 percent increase Denver and Adams counties still have the highest per capita rates in the metro area, but the following cities saw the highest increases in vehicle thefts between 2019 and 2020: Sheridan: 107 percent increaseCastle Rock: 97 percent increaseWheat Ridge: 92 percent increaseParker: 86 percent increaseGreenwood Village: 78 percent increase Compared to 2019, vehicle thefts rose in Denver's metro area by 55 percent in 2020, according to the report: Total vehicle thefts in 2019: 13,035Total vehicle thefts in 2020: 20,185 For the first two months of 2020, there was a weekly average of 235 vehicle thefts in metro Denver. After the stay-at-home order went into effect March 15, the weekly thefts rose steadily to an average of 462 thefts by the end of the year, the report shows. There was an increase of around 95 percent from the first 8 weeks of 2020 to the last 8 weeks of 2020. Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Lakewood newsletters and real-time email alerts. Based on the 2019 FBI Economic Impact estimate of $8,886 for each stolen vehicle, the impact of motor vehicle thefts in metro Denver was more than $179 million, compared to $115.8 million in 2019. Denver's metro area includes just over half of Colorado's population, but the region saw nearly three quarters of vehicle thefts in our state, the report shows. Colorado's Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force investigates vehicle thefts and assists all law enforcement agencies in Denver's metro area. The task force's partner agencies include the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office, the Aurora Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, the Denver Police Department, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, the Lakewood Police Department and the Wheat Ridge Police Department.