Auto theft causes financial hardship, takes away the victim’s transportation, increases auto insurance premiums, and demands a great deal of law enforcement resources. Using FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that in 2022, Colorado was the worst state in the country for reported auto thefts, with over 731 cars stolen per 100,000 residents.¹

Agency Response

In 2023, the Lakewood, Colorado, Police Department’s (LPD) command staff asked its theft investigations team to find a way to reduce the number of auto thefts and increase the chances of quickly recovering stolen cars. The team’s answer was the Lakewood Auto Theft Reduction and Recovery program (LATRR).

The grant was approved in October 2023, and the team began testing GPS tracking devices. After about a month of testing the products, we decided to purchase an equal number of Apple Air Tags for participants with iPhones and Tile tracking devices for those with Android phones. The devices are similar—Air Tags operate using the iPhone’s Find My app, and the Tile devices use the Tile app to pair the devices and receive location data.

Some of the steps needed to launch the program involved finding a way to distribute the products, helping participants pair them to their phones, providing instructions on how to use the steering wheel locking device, and putting the stickers on their driver’s and passenger’s windows to warn thieves and create a deterrent to theft. The team set up an online scheduler app with 15-minute slots (there would have been no reasonable way to handle that many appointment requests via phone), allowing residents to use a QR code, Web address, or hyperlinked button on the department’s social media accounts and Web page to access the scheduler.

The LPD promoted the LATRR program on its website and social media outlets. We created and posted a brief video explaining the program, and local news channels shared this information with their audience. The response was overwhelming—over 400 appointments were scheduled the first weekend.

Phase 1 of the program ran for six months. In the end, almost every available appointment was booked. The theft investigations team took turns handling approximately 80 weekly appointments during business hours and over 100 on Saturdays. To meet the demands of the Saturday events, the full team and additional police employees were needed to accommodate the large volume of vehicles.

The grant paid for overtime costs to cover the weekly appointments, staffing for after-hours events, and time required to maintain the data for grant reporting outside the staff’s normal job responsibilities. Saturday events also provided the participants with auto theft education, prevention tips, and the opportunity to ask questions. This time spent with the public facilitated a positive relationship between the department and residents.

By the end of the six-month run, 1,508 vehicles received trackers and steering wheel locking devices. Only one vehicle in the program was stolen. That victim shared the location data with LPD detectives, and the vehicle was recovered the next morning.

With both prevention and recovery as goals, the LATRR program was a success in the following ways:

• Only one of the 1,508 vehicles in the program was stolen, contributing to measurable success in achieving the prevention goal.
• The only vehicle stolen in the program was recovered in less than 24 hours in good condition.
  
• During the grant period, 359 victims of auto theft were contacted. Of those, 190 joined the program.

The LATRR program demonstrated the police department's concern for the community and our willingness to reach out in an unconventional way to help residents protect their property. It allowed us and the community we serve to work hand in hand to reduce auto thefts, empowering participants to protect their vehicles. The community's response was overwhelmingly positive. Participants interacted enthusiastically with detectives and often encouraged friends and family to join the program.

New Phase

For the second phase of the program, the department created do-it-yourself installation kits. The kit contained detailed instructions on downloading apps and syncing participants’ phones to a tracker. It also provided two stickers for their front passenger’s and driver’s side door windows. Residents were also given a locking device to secure their steering wheel free of charge.

Those who wanted to equip their vehicles with the tracker and theft deterrence devices could pick them up at the police station without an appointment. Patrol officers also took kits with them on their shifts, often providing them to residents (particularly to victims of stolen vehicles that were recovered). Almost 2,500 additional kits were distributed in Phase 2.

Conclusion

Auto theft can create serious, long-lasting difficulties for victims. The Lakewood Auto Theft Reduction and Recovery program made a significant difference in the lives of the people of Lakewood, increased positive community interactions with the police, and put a dent in a significant problem facing our state. Standing up similar initiatives in your own jurisdiction could make a sizeable impact in your community.

Endnotes

¹ “‘Hot Spots’ Report Shows Vehicle Theft Rates Spiking in Different Regions of the U.S.,” National Insurance Crime Bureau, October 25, 2023, https://www.nicb.org/news/news-releases/hot-spots-report-shows-vehicle-theft-rates-spiking-different-regions-us#:~:text=Colorado%20topped%20the%20list%20of,the%20U.S.%20per%20100%2C000%20residents.