Denver guide
Car stolen or keys taken
In 2022, Denver police took 15,192 stolen-vehicle reports, roughly 42 a day and 7.4 times the national rate. The count has come down since, to 5,551 in 2025, which is still 3.8 times the national rate (FBI Crime Data Explorer).
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Denver car theft rate next to the national rate, by year
Denver Police DepartmentUnited States
The car is missing
- If you saw it happen or it just happened, call 911. Otherwise file a police report; the insurer will ask for it.
- Call your insurance company.
- If the car has a tracker or a connected service, give that information to the police, and leave the recovery to them.
The car is back
- Delete the stolen keys. A locksmith or the dealer can program fresh keys and remove the old ones from the car's memory, so the thief's key stops working.
- Inspect the ignition and the door locks. A forced ignition or a punched cylinder has to be repaired or replaced.
- Leave with two keys. A spare costs far less while you still have one that works.
| What you need done | Survey says | Who published it |
|---|---|---|
| New car key | $70 to $250 | Fixr (Jan. 2025) |
| Chip (transponder) key | $125 to $250 Includes the part and programming | Kelley Blue Book (Jul. 2025) |
| Flip key | $150 to $300 | Kelley Blue Book (Jul. 2025) |
| Push-button start key | $200 to $400 | Kelley Blue Book (Jul. 2025) |
Only the keys were stolen
Then a thief has your key and very possibly knows which car it fits. Have that key erased from the car the same day. If the ring also held a house key and anything with your address on it, rekey the house too. Rekeying.
Next door, Aurora peaked at 6,877 thefts in 2022 and Lakewood at 2,118 in 2022 (FBI). Every year, city by city.
What Denver callers ask about this
Do I need a new key if my car was recovered?
If a key went with it, yes, and have that key deleted from the car. If the car was started without a key, expect ignition repair.