Colorado is on pace to significantly outpace last year's auto theft reductions, with the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) reporting a 35 percent statewide drop in motor vehicle theft through the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 — translating to more than 3,000 fewer stolen vehicles.

CATPA announced the midyear figures July 24, 2026, alongside the debut of a new outreach van donated by Nationwide through the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). The van is designed to bring vehicle theft prevention messaging directly to communities and events across Colorado.

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The Hyundai Elantra topped the list of most-stolen vehicles in Colorado so far in 2026, followed by the Chevrolet Silverado, Ford F-150, Hyundai Sonata, Jeep Cherokee, GMC Sierra, Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Honda CRV, and Kia Optima.

Denver led all cities for auto theft incidents, followed by Aurora, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Lakewood, Commerce City, Westminster, Thornton, Greeley, and Englewood.

CATPA grant programs fund organized crime-fighting task forces, dedicated prosecution programs, a Victims Assistance initiative, and training and analytics support. The authority was established by Colorado statute in 2003.

Stolen vehicle data is sourced from the Stolen Vehicle Data Repository (SVDR), which provides law enforcement reporting to the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC). The SVDR is managed by the Auto Theft Intelligence Coordination Center (ATICC), a CATPA-funded grant project. Data in the SVDR is considered dynamic, as record modifications are made daily, and results may vary from Colorado Bureau of Investigation crime data. Percentages are rounded to the nearest percent.

Coloradans are encouraged to lock their vehicles and take their keys every time, and to consider additional measures such as steering wheel locks, GPS trackers, and kill switches. Information on vehicle theft prevention is available at lockdownyourcar.colorado.gov. Victims of auto theft can learn about assistance resources at lockdownyourcar.colorado.gov/victims-assistance.