AURORA | Leaders from the Aurora Police Department say the agency will continue to crack down on car theft, which has been a persistent problem in the Denver metro area and across the nation in recent years.
“We’re going to be all hands on deck, because this community needs us more than ever,” Interim chief Act Acevedo said at a Tuesday evening news conference.
“Do not think that just because we’re working on a consent decree and making our department better that that means that we are not crime fighters,” he said.
There were over 6,800 victims of car thefts last year in Aurora, according to data previously shared by the Aurora Police Department. Between 2020 and 2021 there was roughly a 40% increase in vehicle thefts in the city, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, an increase which continued into 2022.
Police say stolen cars are also used to commit subsequent crimes, which police say makes the problem more urgent.
“It is not uncommon here in Aurora that when we are involved in an investigation into very serious criminal behavior, that it’s committed by someone who got to or from the offense in a stolen car,” former police chief Dan Oates said last year.
The conference was held outside the Laredo Apartments complex, which has struggled with a spate of recent car thefts. Before the news conference, Acevedo spoke to residents in English and Spanish about their experiences with theft.
Commander Rob McGregor said that in the past two months, the department has recovered 10 stolen cars from the neighborhood around the complex.
Acevedo said the department arrested a “known, prolific auto thief” in the neighborhood a few days ago. The interim chief also said he plans to be in the area when he plans to go out on patrol this weekend.
Acevedo expressed frustration with criminal penalties for auto theft, and said he’s grateful for the state legislature’s recent bill to make auto theft a felony regardless of the monetary value of the vehicle. Under current law, vehicle thefts of cars valued under $2,000 are generally prosecuted as misdemeanors, which Acevedo said was not reflective of the problem that car theft presents to poor and working class people.
“Crime impacts poor people tenfold,” he said.
Proponents of the bill have said it is necessary to tamp down on Colorado’s high rate of vehicle theft, while critics argued that a return to tough on crime sentencing laws will not be effective. The bill cleared a Senate Judiciary Hearing 5-0 on Monday.
The Aurora City Council also voted last year to impose a mandatory minimum of 60 days in jail for first time car thieves and at least 120 days for repeat offenders for anyone prosecuted for car theft in Aurora’s municipal court system. In recent years the city court has handled about a third of auto theft charges filed by Aurora police according to previous reporting from the Sentinel.
To deter car thefts at the individual level, Acevedo said vehicle owners should avoid leaving items in their cars when parked and to park their cars in well-lit areas, if possible. He also asked the public to report suspicious activity to the police, and to follow up if police do not respond in what the caller feels is a timely manner.
“If you believe it was a crime in progress and we didn’t get there for two or three hours, I want to know about it,” Acevedo said. “You have to be our eyes and ears.”
Acevedo said that so far this year crime in all categories is trending downward in the city, but it’s too soon to say whether that will continue.
“If you get two or three of the right players that are responsible for a large number of crimes, that’s impactful,” he said. “That’s why we really want to move forward to a data-driven approach.”
“You have to be our eyes and ears.” Well city management we are your eyes and ears. The problem is the city is the biggest offender of their own actions. You call in, or better yet,send a picture of abandoned cars, and unlawful vehicles on city streets. These vehicles slowly become cannibalized as doors, wheels, etc disappear. Yea, a regular salvage yard operation right on the streets. City vehicles drive right on by, no second thoughts. Alright chief, take a close look at the parking enforcement side of things. You tell us how this well healed private outsourced enforcement really works. Private company contractor employees, driving vehicles using City Gov. licence plates. Who do these people really work for? City council has no idea and they buy into and take stock from the TAPS reports staff has carefully prepared. A couple orange cars patrol the whole city, and rarely take any action on their own. These guys could be great eyes and ears as you say, regrettably, it’s not that important we have to presume. The amount of stolen/ abandon dumped cars is clearly growing.
The tide is turning, thankfully, towards justice and safety. Criminals, your days of freedom are coming to an end!
Bull sheet
Chief Art Acevedo as the boss you have more powers at your disposal than most. You are the head crime fighter and get paid dearly to do it. The car thieving around Aurora and Denver in general has gone off the charts. It seems such a mystery why? Well it’s simple, Aurora, Denver, and Colorado as a whole have decided to operate as a “sanctuary cities” These politicians who seem to lack the basic intelligence have invited the Mexican cartels to our front doors. As a result, we are drowning in crime for that. Over and over, these local crime waves are made up of illegals and they’re significantly chiseling away. These cartels are operating in the background as well as financers for many small businesses within the city, right under the cities nose. Chief I’m hoping you get it. Some of this city council does, some of the others refuse to and denial is their way of life. This is flat-out organized crime, RICO elements apply. Chief don’t be bashful to roll up your sleeves and show us you’ve got what it takes.