There’s good news when it comes to auto theft in Colorado. Motor vehicle thefts dropped 34% in 2025, marking the third consecutive year of declines. Since 2021, thefts have fallen 56%, according to the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA).
That’s significant progress for a state that once had the highest auto theft rate in the country. But with thousands of vehicles still stolen each year, we know we still have work to do.
That’s why we’re excited to continue our partnership with CATPA on a statewide public awareness campaign that helps Coloradans protect their vehicles and keep auto theft rates moving in the right direction.
That Moment You Realize Your Car Is Gone
For most people, a vehicle is more than just a way to get from one place to another. It’s how they get to work, take their kids to school, make it to appointments and manage the countless responsibilities of everyday life. When that vehicle is stolen, all of those things suddenly become a lot more complicated.
That’s what makes the moment someone discovers their car is missing so powerful. The initial shock is followed almost immediately by a flood of questions. How am I going to get to work? Who’s going to pick up the kids? How much is this going to cost me?
That moment, and everything that follows, is at the center of CATPA’s 2026/2027 campaign, which builds on the work launched in 2025. Rather than focusing solely on the theft itself, the creative highlights what’s really at stake when someone’s vehicle is stolen.
Messages like “Shift starts at 8. Car was stolen at 3.” connect the consequences of vehicle theft to familiar, everyday situations, making the risk more personal and giving Coloradans a compelling reason to take steps to protect their vehicles.
By making those impacts more tangible and relatable, the campaign gives Coloradans a compelling reason to take a few simple precautions to protect their vehicles.
This year’s campaign also uses a targeted media strategy informed by vehicle theft data. Digital advertising and out-of-home placements are concentrated in areas across Colorado with higher theft rates, helping ensure prevention messages reach communities where the risk is greatest and the reminders are most relevant.
Keeping the Momentum Going
Colorado’s declining auto theft rates are encouraging, and this campaign helps sustain that progress. By reinforcing the steps people are already taking and encouraging others to do the same, we’re helping CATPA make vehicle theft prevention something everyone can contribute to.
Learn more at LockDownYourCar.org.
