CSI: Colorado is #1 state in the U.S. for car theft, Pueblo ranks #9 for cities

DENVER (KKTV) - A new study by Common Sense Institute states Colorado continues to lead the nation in motor vehicle theft.

Click here to read the report. Click here for more on the Common Sense Institute.

Several key Findings in the report:

-Colorado continues to lead the nation in motor vehicle theft. Ranked #1 in America in 2021, in the first 6 months of 2022 (January – June), the motor vehicle theft rate increased another 17.2%.

-At the current rate of 4,007 thefts per month, motor vehicle thefts are on pace to exceed 48,000 for the year—an all-time high. The estimated total value of these stolen vehicles is between $468.1M and $848.3M, on the road to nearly $1B.

-Arrests are not keeping pace with theft. The arrest rate per motor vehicle theft is 9.4%, down from 15.5% in 2019.

-So far in 2022, four Colorado cities rank in the top ten in the United States for motor vehicle thefts (out of 185 cities), including Denver (2), Aurora (3), Westminster (8), and Pueblo (9). These four cities combined, account for 53.3% of the vehicles stolen statewide in the first quarter of 2022.

-The number of secondary offenses related to motor vehicle theft has increased more than six-fold since 2008. Drug crimes involving motor vehicle theft have increased 1,110%, violent crimes involving motor vehicle theft 521%, and property crimes involving motor vehicle theft 583%.

-More motor vehicles are stolen from Denver International Airport than any other location in Colorado and account for nearly 3% of all motor vehicles stolen statewide.

The report cites recent data from the FBI. According to the FBI, four Colorado cities rank in the top ten in the United States for motor vehicle thefts (out of 185 cities), including Denver (2), Aurora (3), Westminster (8), and Pueblo (9). These four cities combined, account for 53.3% of the vehicles stolen statewide in the first quarter of 2022.