Denver PD announces car tracking program to curb auto thefts, quickly find stolen cars

DENVER — Preauthorize the Denver Police Division to trace your automobile in case it is ever stolen: That’s the gist of the division’s new “DenverTrack” program, as Colorado leads your complete nation for automobile thefts per capita.

Throughout this system’s reveal Friday, Lieuetant Ryan Harris addressed the primary query that most likely popped into everybody’s thoughts.

“No. In case your automobile will not be reported stolen, we is not going to, we can not observe you,” he stated.

Anybody who lives in Denver and has a monitoring system of their automobile — like OnStar, Bluelink, an Apple AirTag, and so forth., — can take part in this system by registering on Denver PD’s web site. There, you’ll be requested to offer your automobile info, proof that you’re the registered proprietor, and preauthorize the division to entry the system.

In line with Harris, regardless of preauthorization, officers will ask for last consent from the registered proprietor after the automobile is reported stolen.

“We acquire a consent at the moment, after which we might work with a third-party to realize location info. More often than not, that is going to be the neighborhood member,” Harris stated.

Those that register for this system will even be given stickers to put up on their window that reads, “This automobile is protected. Tracked by the Denver Police Division,” in an try to discourage thieves from concentrating on the automobile.

In line with very preliminary knowledge Denver PD obtained from regulation enforcement in Prepare dinner County, Illinois, that use an identical program, the sticker diminished the “want to steal a automobile” by as much as 50%.

Dispersing these stickers to most of the people who don’t wish to register for this system could also be an possibility down the road.

“In order that’s one thing we’re taking a look at sooner or later. However presently, with us adopting knowledge pushed approaches to crime prevention and evidence-based, we have to show some effectiveness of this program,” Harris stated.

Extra than simply monitoring

This program goals to transcend auto theft.

In 2022, Denver police arrested 1,484 suspects, or 9%, of the 14,900 reported stolen automobiles. About 70 p.c of these suspects have been arrested for a secondary crime dedicated after stealing the automobile.

“Numerous our burglaries or different property crimes and violent crime begins with using a stolen automobile,” Harris stated.

Push for harsher penalties

The Colorado Metropolitan Auto Process Drive estimates greater than 40,000 automobiles have been stolen statewide in 2022, a 12% leap from the earlier 12 months.

Colorado presently leads the nation in auto thefts with an 86% improve from 2019 to 2021, in response to the Colorado Fee on Legal and Juvenile Justice. Cities like Broomfield skilled a 170% improve in thefts, whereas Grand County reported a 250% improve and Boulder County skilled a 60% improve.

For this reason Gov. Jared Polis pushed for harsher penalties related to automobile thefts on the tail finish of 2022.

Earlier this 12 months, a bipartisan group of lawmakers unveiled a invoice to crack down on automobile thefts within the state. Senate Invoice 23-097 would make just about all automobile thefts in Colorado a felony, whatever the automobile’s worth.

The invoice confronted its first committee listening to final week within the Colorado Senate with assist from mayors from throughout the state in addition to regulation enforcement.

“We will make arrests on a extra frequent foundation,” Harris stated.

Nonetheless, the invoice does have one essential carveout. It creates a brand new misdemeanor offense for many who take a automobile with out the proprietor’s permission however return it inside 24 hours, don’t trigger any injury and don’t use it to commit one other crime.

“That is like when an adolescent goes pleasure using in grandma’s automobile,” stated Sen. Rachel Zenzinger, D-Arvada, throughout a press convention in January.