SHERIDAN, Colo. (June 24, 2021) - Amid a staggering surge in automotive theft and related crimes, AAA Colorado will join with the Colorado State Patrol, the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, the City of Sheridan Police Department, and other key law enforcement partners to roll out free, effective devices for Coloradans to protect their cars. This is the first anti-theft partnership of its kind in the United States.
WHAT : The launch of new initiatives to provide Coloradans no-cost, in-vehicle devices to protect their automobiles. For all Colorado residents, we'll be introducing a statewide program to guard against catalytic converter theft. For Sheridan residents, we'll be announcing a localized program to equip the most commonly stolen vehicles with anti-theft immobilizers.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 30; 1 p.m.
WHERE: The City of Sheridan Police Department
4101 S Federal Blvd, Sheridan, CO 80110
WHO:
• J. Skyler McKinley, Regional Director - Public Affairs, AAA
• Colonel Matthew C. Packard, Chief, Colorado State Patrol
• Jeffrey Martinez, Chief, City of Sheridan Police Department
WHY: Law enforcement agencies across Colorado report a significant increase in catalytic converter theft over 2019, up to 1000 percent in some jurisdictions. What's more, from January to May of this year, Colorado experienced a 57 percent increase in stolen vehicles compared to 2020, which was already 38 percent up over 2019, per the Colorado Automobile Theft Prevention Authority. Should this theft trend continue, auto theft in Colorado will be twice the national per capita rate by the end of the year. It's a statewide problem: Denver has seen a 75 percent increase in year-to-date auto theft, with the Western Slope coming in at 58 percent and Southern Colorado at 15 percent.
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About AAA - The Auto Club Group
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AAA Colorado is a proud part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the second-largest AAA club in North America with more than 14 million members across 14 U.S. states, the province of Quebec and two U.S. territories. ACG and its affiliates provide members with roadside assistance, insurance products, banking and financial services, travel offerings and more. ACG belongs to the national AAA federation with more than 60 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA's mission is to protect and advance freedom of mobility and improve traffic safety. For more information, get the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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