Arvada Crime Update - January 13 - 19, 2025

Significant Incidents

Suspect Arrested in Electric Vehicle Charging Station Vandalism AR25800013 and AR25800014

On January 6, 2025, city staff reported two instances of criminal mischief at the RTD Olde Town Parking Garage, where charging cables were cut and stolen from electric vehicle charging stations, requiring costly replacements. Surveillance footage from December 25, 2024, showed a man cutting cables and loading them into a shopping cart. 

On January 15, an Arvada PD CORE officer on patrol observed a homeless male and female using fentanyl at Stocke-Walter Park. The officer recognized that the male matched the description of the suspect involved in the EV cable cases. The male was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and drug-related offenses. The female was arrested for an active warrant and issued a summons for drug-related offenses. Damage to the EV charging stations is estimated at $12,600. Carjacking Suspects Captured After Pursuit in Arvada AR25000692

On January 13, 2025, at about 8:54 pm, a group of juveniles pistol-whipped a driver at a Lakewood gas station and stole his Jeep Cherokee at gunpoint. The stolen vehicle was later detected by a Flock camera in Arvada near W 52nd Ave and Yarrow St. Arvada officers located the Jeep at the Park Terrace Apartments, where the suspects fled upon spotting police. 

After a brief pursuit, officers executed a successful Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) maneuver on Wadsworth Blvd. Immediately after the Jeep came to a stop, one suspect fled on foot. Officers initiated a high-risk stop on the Jeep, but the driver began ramming patrol vehicles in an attempt to escape. Officers quickly repositioned, pinning the Jeep and taking the driver (16) and remaining passenger (16) into custody without further incident. Seconds later, Wheat Ridge PD officers located the fleeing suspect hiding in a dumpster nearby and detained him with assistance from an Arvada sergeant.

A .40 caliber Glock handgun with an auto switch was recovered from the stolen Jeep. Lakewood PD will be filing charges in this case. Two of the suspects are linked to other recent auto thefts under investigation by Arvada PD.

Follow officers' body worn camera and surveillance footage to see how the incident unfolded and was resolved!

Woman Arrested After Assaulting Officer During Incident at Brewery AR25000873

On January 16, 2025, at about 1:35 pm, officers responded to the Denver Beer Company after receiving reports of a woman acting erratically. Upon contact, officers observed the woman heavily slurring her words, struggling to articulate her thoughts, and speaking rapidly. She was highly unsteady on her feet, and stumbling. She fell over a nearby fire pit requiring an officer to intervene and catch her. Officers found an empty prescription medication bottle with her name on it.  

Concerned for the woman’s safety and ability to care for herself, officers called paramedics and determined she needed to be placed on an emergency mental health hold. While waiting for paramedics, the woman attempted to leave so officers restrained her for her own safety. As she was being handcuffed, she kicked an officer in the groin, but was restrained without further incident. She was medically cleared, and transported to the Jefferson County Jail on charges of assaulting an officer.

Introducing: Speed Study Results

When the Arvada Police Department receives complaints about speeding in a specific area, we use a data-driven approach to assess the issue and determine the best solution.

To understand the scope of the problem, we deploy a speed monitoring device to collect data continuously over a period of two to three weeks. This allows us to gather important information, including:

• Average speed of vehicles on the road.

• Maximum and minimum speeds recorded.

• 85th percentile speed, which is the speed at or below which 85% of drivers are traveling.

By analyzing this data, we can determine if speeding is a recurring issue, identify patterns or trends, and evaluate the severity of the problem. Based on these insights, and where deemed appropriate, we develop targeted solutions to address the concern.

Potential actions may include:

• Public education campaigns to raise awareness about safe driving practices.

• Directed speed enforcement to address problem areas at specific times.

• Engineering solutions, in collaboration with government partners, to improve road design or implement traffic-calming measures.

Recent Study: W 62nd Avenue and Quay Street

From December 26, 2024, to January 10, 2025, the Arvada Police Department Traffic Unit studied vehicle speeds at W 62nd Avenue and Quay Street, a two-way, undivided residential street with a posted speed limit of 25 mph. The data collected did not indicate significant speed issues:

• Total vehicles recorded: 11,015

• Average speed: 25.2 mph

• 85th percentile speed: 29 mph

This data-driven approach ensures we address community concerns effectively while maintaining safe and efficient traffic flow throughout Arvada.

Vehicle Tracker Installation Event a Success Despite Weather

On January 18, 2025, the Arvada Police Department's Auto Theft Reduction & Recovery Program hosted its first vehicle tracker installation event. Over 50 community members signed up to participate, and despite higher-than-expected cancellations due to weather, approximately 40 trackers were distributed to residents.

The next, expanded event is scheduled for April 12, 2025, with trackers available for up to 100 participants. Program details can be found on the Program webpage, and online registration will open on March 14, 2025.

Traffic Data and Calls for Service

Traffic

26 Reported Crashes

• 2 Injury Crashes 

• 0 Fatality Crashes

186 Traffic Stops

• 154 Drivers Cited

Top Violations Cited

• 39 Speeding 10-19 mph over limit

• 21 Expired plates 60+ days

• 19 No proof of insurance

• 15 Careless driving

• 11 Speeding 20-24 mph over limit

  
  

Calls for Service

2,032 Total Calls for Service*

Top call types received and dispatched

• 49 Welfare Check

• 35 Citizen Assist

• 22 Suspicious Incident

• 21 Unwanted Party

• 18 Disturbance

• 18 Traffic Complaint

• 17 Harassment

• 16 Theft

• 15 Suspicious Person

• 14 Civil Assist

*Total calls for service includes all dispatched and self-initiated activity by Department personnel. Calls for service include criminal and non-criminal activity and may not result in a written report. 

Arrest and Crime Data

Arrests

62 Total Arrests*

• 20 Taken into custody

• 42 Released on summons

*Arrested persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Classification of charges may change any time after arrest. 

Crime Data

183 Total Crime Reports*

Crimes most reported

• 32 Theft (other than vehicle and shoplift)

• 16 Criminal Mischief

• 14 Harassment

• 14 Drug Equipment Violation

• 11 Motor Vehicle Theft

• 11 Trespass

• 10 Protection Order Violation

• 8 Driving Under the Influence

• 9 Shoplifting

• 7 Burglary

*Incidents under investigation may be re-classified as criminal or noncriminal after publication. Crime reports may contain more than one criminal charge. All figures are preliminary and are not meant to be final crime statistics.

Special Unit Activity

Community Outreach Resources Enforcement (CORE)

The CORE team focuses on issues in the community related to homelessness. They respond to calls involving homeless people, proactively offer resources, and conduct enforcement when other support methods are not effective.

26 Total CORE Team Contacts

Resources Offered

• 3 Mental health

• 2 Substance Abuse

• 5 Housing

• 0 Other

• 3 Navigator assistance

• 2 Employment

3 Resources Accepted

Enforcement Actions*

• 3 Trespass

• 6 Verbal Warning

• 11 Citation

• 3 Arrest

• 9 Jailed

*More than one enforcement action may be used per person.

Animal Management Officers (AMO)

AMOs respond to all concerns involving animals and enforce City ordinances related to animals.

87 Total AMO Calls for Service*

Top call types received

• 23 Leash Law Violation

• 7 Barking Dog

• 7 Other Animal Concerns

• 6 Injured Animal

• 6 Wildlife

*AMO calls for service are included in, and are not in addition to, the Calls for Service figures above.

Police Service Technicians (PST)

PSTs assist residents online, by phone, or in person at our community stations. They provide non-emergency police services to include taking certain crime reports.

30 Total PST Crime Reports*

23 Crime Reports Submitted Online

Crimes most reported

• 14 Theft (other than vehicle or shoplift)

• 3 Criminal Mischief

• 3 Fraud

• 2 Shoplift

• 1 Motor Vehicle Theft

*PST crime report figures are included in, and are not in addition to, the Crime Data section above. 

Source: https://www.arvadaco.gov/1208/Activity-Reported-January-13-to-January-