Aurora Police Department increases lights and sirens, pursues more "bad guys"
Colorado continues to lead the nation in motor vehicle theft. Aurora police will soon start a new approach that Interim Chief Art Acevedo hopes will not only reduce car theft but stop other crimes in progress.
Aurora police recently recovered over a dozen stolen cars around the city. They're in parts of town where neighbors can't afford to be victims. Acevedo visited the Laredo Apartments near Colfax Avenue and Airport Boulevard to hear their concerns himself.
Acevedo says criminals are doing more than taking these cars for a joyride. Much of the time, cars are not being stolen to be stripped for parts. They're often involved in secondary crimes, like robberies and drive-by shootings.
Police recently arrested a prolific car thief, but Acevedo fears that won't mark the end of his spree.
"How much you want to bet that guy is getting [a slap on the wrist?] At some point enough has to be enough," said Acevedo. "I want my officers to start pursuing more bad guys."
That goes for property crime and violent crime. He wants to crack down on criminals, especially those dragging youth down with them.
Change is coming. He's instructed officers to start responding to more calls, like car break-ins, with lights and sirens.
He says it'll decrease their response time and hopefully deter other crimes in progress. Acevedo says the lights and sirens will also show neighbors the extent of police activity in their area and provide situational awareness.
"It's going to increase the visibility of the police department to make the criminal element a little more uncomfortable," said Acevedo. "It'll disrupt crime."
He stressed the importance of reporting these crimes to police so they can have data on where it's happening. Of course, remove valuables from your car, and once you do that, Acevedo advises leaving it unlocked.
Victims should not hunt down their vehicles.
"We live in a world where people shoot at the drop of a hat. They don't even think about it. If you're going to track your car, you better be doing it a couple blocks away. If they're driving recklessly, you better just let them go," said Acevedo.
A stolen car's often just the start and there's no telling how brazen the driver might be.
"A lot of these criminals are not afraid of death. They're not. You know what they do fear? Being incarcerated," said Acevedo.
