More Than 3,000 Fewer Vehicles Stolen in Colorado During First Half of 2026

Description: Colorado motor vehicle theft fell 35% during the first half of 2026, representing more than 3,000 fewer stolen vehicles compared with the same period in 2025...

Halfway through 2026 – Auto Theft Continues to Fall

CATPA rolls out a new tool for auto theft awareness

(COLORADO) – Good news, Colorado, we’re halfway through 2026, and auto theft reductions are outpacing last year.  

Colorado has maintained an above national average reduction in motor vehicle theft through the first half of 2026. Compared to halfway through last year, we are seeing a 35% reduction in motor vehicle theft statewide. That means over 3,000 fewer cars were stolen in 2026 compared to 2025. For every auto theft avoided, that is one person and one family who have a normal day – getting to work, dropping kids off at school, and not missing any important appointments.  And Colorado will continue to invest in comprehensive, innovative programs that prevent motor vehicle theft through the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) and its grants. Grant programs that keep Colorado’s communities and roadways safe from stolen vehicles and the havoc they cause.

These unique programs include a one-of-a-kind Victims Assistance initiative, cutting-edge organized crime-fighting task forces, dedicated prosecution programs, and all the support in training and analytics these programs need to succeed. In addition, CATPA operates a robust public education and outreach program built to provide the right answer, at the right time, so everyone in Colorado knows how to keep their vehicles safe. This isn’t just a wide-reaching messaging initiative, but a collaborative program built with tight connections to communities across the State. One such effort is the new CATPA van. This vehicle was donated by Nationwide through the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) to better message and support communities across the State. This vehicle helps CATPA reach communities across Colorado while reinforcing basic vehicle theft prevention information. From our highways to your community gatherings, these partnerships help us reinforce the message that auto theft has no place in our communities. Every Coloradoan has a role to play in reducing auto theft.

As Colorado trends in the right direction, CATPA wants to remind Coloradans to continue their theft prevention routines, including locking their car and taking their keys every time. Your daily actions are a crucial step to protecting your car from theft. And there has never been a better time to continue going the extra mile to take preventative steps. From steering wheel locks to GPS trackers and kill switches, everything you do makes a substantial impact on preventing auto theft for the rest of 2026 and beyond. Learn how to keep your car safe at the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority web page.

And if you are a victim of auto theft, please learn more about our Victim Assistance program available to Colorado residents.

2026 Mid-Year Colorado Auto Theft Data

All data is covered under the Colorado State Patrol Auto Theft Data Disclaimer [1]

Other important preliminary data show that the Top 10 most stolen vehicles in Colorado in 2026 so far are

1.     Hyundai Elantra                           2.     Chevrolet Silverado

3.     Ford F-150                                   4.     Hyundai Sonata

5.     Jeep Cherokee                             6.     GMC Sierra

7.     Honda Accord                               8.     Honda Civic

9.     Honda CRV                                  10.  Kia Optima

The Top 10 cities for auto theft were

1.     Denver                                         2.     Aurora

3.     Colorado Springs                        4.     Pueblo

5.     Lakewood                                    6.     Commerce City

7.     Westminster                                8.     Thornton

9.     Greeley                                        10.  Englewood

While auto theft went down Statewide, here is how auto theft changed across Colorado’s regions

[1] Stolen vehicle data is sourced from the Stolen Vehicle Data Repository (SVDR) which provides law enforcement reporting of stolen vehicles to the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC). The SVDR is managed by the Auto Theft Intelligence Coordination Center (ATICC), a grant project funded by the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority. The SVDR contains information on the number of reported stolen vehicles, data results may vary from the Colorado Bureau of Investigations crime data on the incidence (or police cases) of motor vehicle theft/attempts inputted into UCR/NIBRS as reported by Colorado law enforcement agencies. Additionally, information contained in the SVDR is considered dynamic as modifications to records are made on a daily basis. Stolen vehicle records were screened for accuracy and normalized for standardization prior to use in this analysis. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent. 

As Colorado trends in the right direction, CATPA wants to remind Coloradans to continue their theft prevention routines, including locking their car and taking their keys every time. Your daily actions are a crucial step to protecting your car from theft. And there has never been a better time to continue going the extra mile to take preventative steps. From steering wheel locks to GPS trackers and kill switches, everything you do makes a substantial impact on preventing auto theft for the rest of 2026 and beyond. Learn how to keep your car safe at the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority web page.

And if you are a victim of auto theft, please learn more about our Victim Assistance program available to Colorado residents.

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