Denver, and the rest of the state, has been known for a while as a car theft hotspot and among the worst places in the country for the crime over the last few years.

That trend appears to be reversing, though, with a 24% decrease in the Denver metro area and a 22% decrease statewide in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, but one small section of the city has seen the opposite.

In the two-and-a-half-mile radius encompassing and surrounding Denver International Airport, there have been 241 car thefts this year through June 20 compared to 188 in the same time frame last year, a difference of more than 50.

That’s a 28% increase year over year.

Expanding to a seven-mile radius around the airport, there was actually a 4% decrease year over year, highlighting just how localized the problem is to DIA.

“There is a direct targeting of DIA,” said Cale Gould, Statewide Public Outreach Coordinator at the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority.

So, why is car theft going up so drastically at DIA when it’s decreasing statewide and in the city as a whole?

“There are a lot of factors that really go into that,” Gould said. “More than anything, as awareness and opportunities have arisen for public education on auto theft, there is not a person in Colorado these days who is unaware of auto theft rates in Colorado.”

And as people become more aware and educated about the problem, they take more precautions where they live and work, Gould said.

This extra precaution has served well as a factor in the statewide and citywide decrease in thefts, but it actually also could partially explain the increase at DIA.

“As those fishing areas, neighborhoods, parking lots at malls or restaurants, start drying up, thieves get pushed elsewhere where they can find better opportunities,” Gould said. “Long-term parking is always a hot area because more than anything it is a sea of opportunities for thieves.”

Any long-term parking, Gould said, could be a target, whether it’s hospital medical campuses or RTD park-and-ride lots.

Denver International Airport spokesperson Stephanie Figueroa said in an interview the airport has been working with Denver police to increase patrols in the area as she said car theft is an ongoing problem there.

“This is unfortunately nothing new at the airport,” Figueroa said. “While unfortunate, it’s not surprising really because we have more than 40,000 public parking spaces. It makes sense we make the top of the list since we have the largest concentration of parking spaces in the state.

“We’ve teamed up with (the Denver Police Department) to increase patrols, but as you can imagine, it’s hard for them to be everywhere at once with so many spaces and so much ground to cover.”

When asked about the airport having a reputation as having rampant car theft, Figueroa said the airport is an obvious place for thieves, especially since the airport has such a high concentration of parking spaces.

“The reality is there is a lot we can get a bad reputation for, unfortunately,” Figueroa said. “We have people who hate on us for long lines, and then there are people who know us for having super long walks in between the terminal and the concourses.

“Of course, we don’t want to be known as that, but it’s one of those things; we’re doing what we can, but bad people are going to find a way to do bad things.”

Even though there are possible explanations for the increase, it’s no comfort for those affected by the crime.

“Auto theft is a highly personal crime,” Gould said. “When people lose their vehicle, they may lose their livelihood. It might be their sole transportation to and from work, to doctors appointments, to be caregivers to their family.”

For Denver resident Ben Piercy, this kind of crime is all too personal.

“Feeling violated is an understatement knowing that a stranger has invaded my personal space and violated my sense of security leaves an indelible mark,” he said. “There were personal sentimental things in my car that I will never get back. My girlfriend and I’s first picture together, a photobooth printout that’s not replicable.”

Piercy’s Ford F-150 pickup, the most targeted vehicle model stolen around DIA this year, was stolen earlier in June from the West Economy parking lot just outside of the parking garage connected to DIA’s Jeppesen Terminal.

Between the time Piercy and his girlfriend parked the car on June 15 and the next night, someone had stolen the truck and used an emergency credit card he kept in the truck.

Piercy was alerted to the credit card transaction, but he thought someone had just broken into his truck “Because how could someone steal a truck from Denver Airport with all the cameras, gate protection, and police,” he thought.

When Piercy and his girlfriend arrived back at the airport early Monday morning, though, his truck was not where they parked it.

“The stolen truck was not just a means of transportation; it was an extension of my own identity, an embodiment of … hard work and dedication,” Piercy said. “It was my dream truck for the last ten years, I worked hard, saved my money did all the right things the right way.”

As of June 27, Piercy has received no updates on his truck and is left with only questions.

Piercy said the Denver Police officer who took his report told him the city and airport have a “no-chase policy” in place, so they can’t do anything when they see someone who might be in a stolen vehicle.

When asked about this, Figueroa said they defer engagement with any suspicious activity in the airport or on its grounds to the Denver Police Department, a bureau of which is the Denver Airport Police.

A Denver Police Department spokesperson in an email provided their pursuit policy, which states the department balances “the need for immediate apprehension of a suspect with the need to protect the public from danger caused by the pursuit.”

Under this policy, police officers are only authorized to engage in pursuits when there is a “compelling need” that involves “flagrant and dangerous behavior.” Compelling needs under this policy do not include the mere act of fleeing, traffic infractions, careless driving, property crimes including auto theft or any other crime that does not include the felony use of, or threatening use of, a deadly weapon against a person.

Piercy also questioned the prosecution of thieves since many are repeat offenders; a new law that goes into effect July 1 will make all motor vehicle theft felonies and raise the penalties for “prolific offenders with two or more convictions or adjudications,” according to a Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority news release.

While the potential effects of this new law won’t be seen for a while, Figuera, Gould and the Denver Police Department all offered ways people can protect themselves.

The Colorado State Patrol on its website lockdownyourcar.org offers many resources for victims of auto theft and protection solutions, and both CSP and DPD have programs to give residents steering wheel locks.

Gould said having a few deterrents in a car that slow thieves down will prevent thefts since it takes longer to get around deterrents.

DPD also has a tracking program residents can sign up for that uses vehicles’ GPS systems and track stolen vehicles in real-time.

At the airport specifically, Figueroa said car alarm systems are helpful in alerting people a car is potentially getting stolen, and local DIA customers can use public transportation to avoid parking their cars altogether.

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