Yahoo Autos Ford Trucks Keep Getting Stolen at the Denver International Airport
When you leave your vehicle in an airport parking lot, you have a reasonable expectation that the machine will be there when you return. That might not be the case if you drive a Ford truck to the Denver International Airport, however. That’s because the F-150 and its Super Duty siblings have become the leading target of an increasing wave of auto thefts at the Mile High City’s extremely busy airport.
Denver International Airport is consistently one of the most-trafficked airports in the world. According to Airports Council International, DIA was the third busiest airport in the world in 2022, servicing some 69,289,461 passengers. Only Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport surpassed those numbers. Encompassing over 52 square miles of land, DIA is also the second largest airport anywhere in the world. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that the facility has over 40,000 public parking spaces available for travelers on-site. Unfortunately for Ford truck owners, these lots have proven to be a fruitful hunting ground for car thieves.
According to data provided to R&T by the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CAPTA), 189 Ford F-Series trucks have been stolen from within 2.5 miles of DIA since the start of 2023. CAPTA program assistant Cale Gould told R&T that this radius includes the popular parking, rental car, and shuttle lots associated with the airport. Of the trucks taken within that radius, the overwhelming majority are F-150s, with 102 stolen as of August 10. That figure makes the F-150 the most popular target among thieves at DIA.
The F-250 Super Duty and F-350 Super Duty aren’t spared from the crime wave either, with 53 of the former and 29 of the latter being stolen as well. If you expand the radius around the airport to seven miles, which incorporates more of the local parking and shuttle service lots, those numbers are even higher. CAPTA notes that the larger radius included 123 F-150, 74 F-250, and 41 F-350 thefts through August 10. It is important to note that these figures change every day, as more cases are opened and closed.
According to Gould, CAPTA isn’t aware of any specific reasons why the Ford F-Series lineup is being targeted at DIA. That said, there might be a few particular factors driving those figures. The F-150 is going on its 47th year as the best-selling truck in the United States. According to the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, the F-150 was the most popular vehicle in the state in 2022, with some 94,783 active registrations. Gould believes the high rate of F-150 ownership combined with factors like owner behavior and security system exploits are driving the issue.
“When we talk about vehicles with high theft volume, traditionally there isn't a 'type' or a single factor that creates this theft volume via targeting,” Gould said to R&T. “It just happens to be what vehicle type that thieves learn how to exploit owner behaviors or otherwise overcome security features of.”
When asked about the high volume of Ford trucks being taken from DIA, a spokesperson with the Blue Oval provided this statement:
"Ford vehicles are equipped passive anti-theft engine immobilization technology that helps prevent the engine from starting unless you use a coded key programmed to the vehicle. F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 46 years and as a highly sought-after vehicle, can be a popular target for thieves. We recommend that all customers take common steps to help prevent theft, including parking in secure, lighted areas, making sure vehicles are locked when not attended."
The F-150 hasn’t always been one of the most popular vehicles among car thieves at Denver International Airport, according to CAPTA data. From January to July 2021, the Kia Optima was the most targeted vehicle at DIA, with 23 cases. The Chevrolet Silverado actually took home that honor in 2022, with 57 trucks taken from DIA during that same time period.
The number of stolen vehicles at DIA is up dramatically for 2023, with more than twice as many F-150s being stolen through this part of the calendar year. A total of 801 cars have been stolen from DIA between January and July, up from 715 cars in 2022 and 466 cars in 2021, respectively. Those figures represent cars stolen from within a seven-mile radius of the airport. Meanwhile, auto theft is otherwise trending down in Colorado when compared to 2022, with some 22 percent fewer cases during the first quarter alone, according to the Colorado State Patrol. That said, DIA remains a hot spot.
According to a report from Westword, Kevin Griffitts' Shelby-modified F-150 was stolen shortly after he parked it at DIA on March 4. The pickup, nicknamed "Beast Truck," was a lifelong dream purchase for Griffitts.
“If I had been aware that that was the case, I would have parked somewhere else or taken the shuttle,” Griffitts told Westword. “Anything but leave my truck where it was. At this point, in hindsight, I feel like I literally just left the keys in the driver's seat and said, ‘Here you go.'”
Luckily for the impacted truck owners like Griffitts, Denver’s law enforcement agencies have a particularly high recovery rate when it comes to stolen vehicles. Gould told R&T that 87 percent of stolen vehicles in Colorado were recovered in 2022, while around 83 percent of vehicles taken in 2023 have been recovered thus far. Over 91 percent of the vehicles recovered from a DIA theft in 2023 have been located in the Denver metro area. Only 25 vehicles have been recovered out of state, with New Mexico and Texas leading the charge with each having seven recovered vehicles. One vehicle was even recovered from Juarez, Mexico.
CAPTA states that owners who are concerned about leaving their vehicles at DIA can follow a few steps to limit the risks involved.
“We are a huge advocate of physical hardening systems, everything from the old school steering wheel lock like 'the club' to re-imagined security devices like parking boots, shift locks, pedal cages, and more,” Gould said. “These serve as a visual deterrent to a thief as well as a physical prevention device. Then of course we also highly value kill switches, aftermarket alarm systems, and the number one way to stop a vehicle theft is a vehicle engine immobilizer meeting the UL 338 standard. Through a combination of key security, environmental awareness, and vehicle hardening; any car can be ‘theft-proof.’”
It's important to be proactive when it comes to your vehicle, whether that involves service or anti-theft measures. Taking steps to make your truck harder to steal before you visit Denver International Airport is probably a good move, particularly if that truck is a Ford F-Series. Parking further away from the airport might also be a smart choice, as the rate of thefts increases as you draw closer to the physical location. Police activity has also been stepped up in the area, which aims to help curb this issue for travelers and locals alike.
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