DENVER (KDVR) — Motor vehicle theft in Boulder County is on the decline, according to the 20th Judicial District.
The Boulder District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday that “recently compiled data” showed that motor vehicle thefts reported to Boulder County law enforcement agencies dipped by 22% from 2023 to 2024, with “continued reductions observed” in 2025 year-to-date.
The “substantial decline” comes after the state reported significant increases in motor vehicle thefts between 2019 and 2023, according to the Boulder DA, which said the state responded by taking “strong, proactive steps” to “change state law and increase enforcement of the law.”
“When Colorado experienced the dramatic spike in car thefts, we responded by strengthening the auto theft laws,” District Attorney Michael Dougherty said in a statement.
The Boulder DA said the data showed the county had only 280 motor vehicle theft incidents reported in the first half of 2025, compared to a total of 1,399 incidents in 2023 and 1,094 in 2024.
The data also reportedly showed the Boulder Police Department reported a 37% drop in motor vehicle thefts from 2023 to 2024, and a 48% decrease in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024, while the Longmont Police Department saw a 21% reduction in 2023 to 2024 and a 51% decrease in the first half of 2025 compared to the first half of 2024.
“Motor vehicle thefts are often crimes of opportunity and we’re proud of our partnerships in the city that have played an important role in raising the community’s awareness of this crime and helped to reduce it,” said BPD Chief Steve Redfearn, in a statement.
The Boulder DA said the “steep decline” in motor vehicle thefts is due to stricter laws allowing for more serious consequences, the use of automated license plate readers, making auto theft investigations a priority and working to raise community awareness around locking car doors at night and “reducing opportunities for thieves.”
“The District Attorney’s Office encourages residents to continue taking proactive steps to secure their vehicles and report suspicious activity,” the Boulder DA said in a release.
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