City News
This is news from the city of Boulder, about the city or any of its departments
Boulder police: 53 cars stolen in last six months
Jul 9th
Vehicle thefts are on the rise in Boulder, and police want to warn the public and share some tips to make sure that others don’t become victims of auto theft.
Between Jan. 1, 2012 and July 1, 2012, people reported 53 stolen vehicles in Boulder. So far this year, 43 of those autos have been recovered (81% recovery rate). During the same time period last year (Jan. 1 – July 1, 2011), there were 46 vehicles reported stolen, with 35 of them recovered (76% recovery rate).
While the recovery rates might seem like good news, many of the recovered vehicles were severely damaged by the thieves and some of the vehicles were not drivable. In several instances, drug paraphernalia was found inside the recovered cars. Some of the autos were found in Boulder, and others were located in nearby cities.
Most of these vehicle thefts have several things in common:
- The victim’s left their cars unlocked or the windows down.
- They left spare keys inside the unlocked car.
- There were valuables, such as purses, credit cards and electronics, in full view.
Thieves are usually looking for an easy steal. They want to work fast to start the car and then leave the area. Many of these thefts would not have occurred if the victims had simply locked their vehicles. Police offer some advice to keep your car secure:
- Always lock your car, even if it’s in your own driveway.
- Never leave a spare key in your car (that includes the valet key in your glove box).
- Don’t leave valuables (purses, wallets, cash, credit cards, and electronics) in view. It’s best to take them with you and not leave them in the car at all.
- Don’t leave your car running unattended, even to make a quick trip into a convenience store. This is exactly how at least one thief made off with a car this year in Boulder.
- Don’t leave your windows open – even cracked – when you park your vehicle.
- Park in well-lit areas. If you have a garage, use it. (And don’t leave the garage door open. Thieves may not get your car, but they’ll take whatever else they can easily steal).
- Consider an alarm, or a theft-deterrent/recovery system device like LoJack.
To date in 2012, Boulder police have made 13 arrests for auto theft. (One of the suspects is a teenager who is not old enough to obtain a driver’s license). From Jan. 1, 2011 to July 1, 2011, seven people were arrested. Police are continuing to investigate open cases.
If you are the victim of a vehicle theft, call police immediately. You may call 9-1-1, or the non-emergency Dispatch number at 303-441-3333. Police will need the make, model, year and color of your car, as well as the license plate number. They’ll also need to know when you believe car was stolen, and whether it was locked or unlocked at the time. Investigators will also ask whether you keep a spare key inside the vehicle.
Rain closes Lefthand Boulder creek rising #boulderflood
Jul 7th
July 7 – 5:40 p.m. – Lefthand Canyon Drive closed
Lefthand Canyon Drive is closed between Olde Stage Road and James Canyon Drive. Debris flows caused by the thunderstorm have impacted some roads mountain roads in western Boulder County.
July 7 – 5:20 p.m. – Boulder Creek flows expected to increase
With the heavy rainfall this afternoon, the City of Boulder is expecting to see an increase in Boulder Creek water levels. Last night, the creek was running at 161 cfs. It is currently at 287 cfs and is likely to run between 500 and 600 cfs by nightfall. This is not expected to cause significant spillage along the banks, but pedestrians and cyclists in the area are urged to use caution. Please remember that it is not safe to seek shelter under bridges or in other underpasses. These are designed to move floodwaters through and can be very dangerous in these conditions.
The city is also receiving some reports of nuisance street flooding in the Table Mesa area and a few other neighborhoods. Safety officials would like to remind motorists to avoid driving through floodwaters, which can be deeper than they may seem.
Bear Canyon Trail re-opens; other Flagstaff Fire closures remain
Jul 7th
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks officials today announced the re-opening of the Bear Canyon Trail following last week’s fire closure. Bear Canyon Trail above west of the Mesa Trail will be open, effective immediately, up to where hikers can connect to Green Mountain via the Green-Bear Trail. Travel is limited to on-trail only. Fern Canyon, Bear Peak West Ridge and Shadow Canyon trails remain closed.
Because much of the area that burned is on very steep slopes, contained very large trees, and was largely inaccessible to fire crews, some areas of active fire may continue to smolder for some time. Dangerous conditions continue to exist, especially along the eastern edge of the fire and in Fern and Shadow canyons.
“We had a spot fire in upper Shadow Canyon,” Stone said, “and smoldering trees can topple over and ignite at any time. Burning logs and debris can roll downhill on such steep slopes and start new fires. So we still have to be somewhat cautious about opening all of the area around the fire even though these areas may not actually have burned.”
Open Space and Fire Department staff will continue to assess the fire potential and risks to the public over the next few weeks. The city will strive to strike a reasonable balance between risk and access to these popular natural areas.
A map of the continued closures is attached to this release.
For information, visit www.osmp.org or call 303-441-3440.