For the first time in four years, the overall number of auto thefts recorded by the Pueblo Police Department decreased in 2018, and significantly so: there were nearly 200 fewer vehicles stolen last year, marking a statistical drop-off of nearly 16 percent.

The decrease marks a significant achievement for Pueblo PD in combating the issue of auto theft after the city experienced a record-setting number in 2016 with 1,211 reported thefts, and then bested that number in 2017 with 1,253, according to department statistics.

“I think it’s been a very serious problem that we face within our community where it affects everyone,” said Police Sgt. Chris Flores, who heads the department’s crimes against property unit.

“Sometimes it doesn’t look like such a major crime, being just a property crime, but to a lot of people, it’s a very devastating issue. It can affect everybody’s livelihood.”

Prior to last year, the total number of city auto thefts – which doesn’t just include cars and trucks, but also trailers, scooters, motorcycles, boats and mobile construction equipment – had markedly risen for four straight years.

Over that time, the rate more than doubled, jumping to 1,253 from 548.

But according to Flores, a combination of measures taken by local law enforcement began to pay dividends in 2018, causing that rate to finally go down.

“I think there are multiple things that have improved. No. 1, obviously, we have more officers that are out on the street,” Flores said, referring to the additional officers added to the police force through 2017 ballot measure 2B, which increased police funding by raising the local sales and use tax rate to hire more officers.

“I think that was a big thing … and I think another big thing is just a strong relationship with the community. I think by informing the community of better ways to protect their vehicles and document it and contact police when they see suspicious stuff, that’s something that’s helped dramatically.”

When vehicles are stolen in Pueblo County, they can be sold to illegal chop shops, exchanged for illegal drugs, used as a shelter by local homeless people and oftentimes are used in the commission of other crimes.

In the winter months, one of the primary ways thieves steal vehicles is by patrolling local neighborhoods in the early-morning hours to search for “puffer” vehicles, which are vehicles left running while unattended.

“I think the biggest thing nowadays with the winter months is the puffer vehicles, where people are warming their cars up in the morning and not realizing the danger of that,” Flores said.

“I think if we can reduce that from happening, it would only help to reduce the rate.”

As for how the department might be able to further the successes it saw in addressing the auto theft problem last year, Flores said continuing to facilitate positive relationships with the Pueblo community, providing high-quality training to its officers, and utilizing advancements in auto-theft prevention technology should help the department to build upon its recent success.

“We’re doing everything that we can to try to reduce this and get control of it, so this is ultimately a safe place for our citizens to live,” Flores said.

“We’re working on it and we’re doing our best.”

zhillstrom@chieftain.com