Parking in and around Denver International Airport a growing hot spot for thieves
Travelers beware, parking anywhere near Denver International Airport comes with a risk of having your car stolen.
"It's too bad because this should be an embarrassment to DIA to the City and County of Denver... this has been going on a long time," Chad Raabe said.
Raabe and his son Evan parked the family's Ford F-350 in the East Economy Lot.
Like thousands of others who use the pay-to-park lots, they went through the gate, got the ticket, and left town.
When they returned the truck was gone.
"For me I thought, I always felt like it was a safe place I mean, I guess now I see it as false advertising- the barricade arm and you got the license plate reader you get the picture of the license plate and they advertise a safe place to park 24/7 surveillance all this stuff," Raabe said.
On the airport's website, there is a warning that criminal activity is up but state lots are patrolled 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
"Have you seen security?" CBS News Colorado reporter Karen Morfitt asked Raabe.
"In the parking lot? Never. I've looked back now starting to think how many times I've seen… I don't think I've seen the police department doing any kind of patrolling, I don't think I have ever seen any kind of parking security," he responded.
A look at the numbers shows those parking lots are in fact a hot spot for thieves.
"We have watched DIA over the last few months, we have been working specifically, we have identified approximately a 2.5-mile area around the airport that we have been paying attention to we have seen month-to-month increases from year-to-date last year," Cale Gould a spokesperson with Colorado's Auto Prevention Authority said.
According to their data in 2022 from January to June 188 vehicles were stolen this year during that same time the number is up to 241, an increase of 28%.
Of those the Ford F series tops the list of most often stolen with eighty-two gone from their lots so far this year.
"Statewide as we trend downwards all over, we are seeing an increase at DIA, because DIA has a larger number of cars than they do people it provides easy shopping per se for a would-be thief," Gould added.
For years airport officials have been asked what's being done to deter rising theft and increasing patrols was the answer then and is the answer now.
CBS Colorado's request for an interview to talk about changes that have been made over the last year was declined but a spokesperson for the airport did provide a statement that in part reads:
"Den has more than 40,000 public parking spaces, the largest concentration in the state. The airport and DPD teamed up to increase patrols around den public parking areas but with so much ground to cover, we ask that passengers be extra vigilant when parking their cars."
Gould says owners can do several things to harden their vehicles.
"If you think your vehicle might be more exposed than you'd like absolutely take additional measures steering wheel locks alarm systems kill switches vehicle immobilizers are the best protections." He said.
But passengers say it's time airport officials do more.
"I feel like right now it's just 'hey we are getting our money' you know and that's all they care about is what it seems to me," Raabe said.
Raabe's truck was stolen the first week of July and was found this week.
If you'd like to look at where auto theft numbers are in your area or a certain part of town the Auto theft prevention authority has an interactive map you can use as well as tips for protecting your vehicle, including where to find a free wheel lock.
Colorado State Patrol says you can stop by their headquarters at 700 Kipling Street in Lakewood from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and ask for a wheel lock device and they will give you one.