DENVER — Ricci-Lee Hotz couldn’t believe her bad luck. In October 2021, her car was parked in a port at her apartment complex when someone broke into it and stole some of her personal items, like CD’s.
It took months for Hotz to find a replacement vehicle, which her insurance did not fully cover. All of a sudden, she went from not having a car payment to having to payments for another vehicle. However, the bill does have one important carveout. It creates a new misdemeanor offense for those who take a car without the owner’s permission but return it within 24 hours, don’t cause any damage and don’t use it to commit another crime.
Then on August 26, a 13-year-old girl crashed a car into a Boulder Valley School District bus while allegedly out on a joy ride, injuring at least one person. The car then hit another vehicle. “When I did juvenile practice, I did see those individuals who took a car, and they took it from a family member. And they, you know, they wanted to go to a concert or they wanted to go someplace else to a party, and they brought it back.
Meghan_Lopez It’s only progress if enforced by law enforcement and prosecutors… no more pleas!!!
Meghan_Lopez Is this for stealing the entire vehicle or does it include theft of catalytic converters as well. That’s getting bad
Meghan_Lopez That does nothing to actually reduce thefts or help the victims. They are going to continue to waste time with the low level thief’s rather than going after the ring leaders. And why not do something to help the victims, like provide free bus passes? Or an e-bike credit?
Meghan_Lopez Instead, he would like to see lawmakers focus on the root causes of crime as well as a more targeted approach to car theft crime rings rather that focusing on the low-level offenders. — Don’t steal fucking cars and you’ll be ok!!!
Meghan_Lopez Car theft cripples its victims - especially poorer ones who cannot afford full coverage or the ability to replace the vehicle. All car thefts should be VIGOROUSLY prosecuted and result in maximum jail time.
Meghan_Lopez Why wouldn’t they be a felony?