Car thefts drop nearly 10 percent in Sioux Falls

Police chief credits public awareness campaign backed by City Council

(Freepik)

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article included the wrong figure for stolen vehicle reports through August 2023.

Sioux Falls police are fielding fewer stolen vehicle reports this year, stunting a decades-long trend of increasing car thefts in the city.

After averaging year-over-year increases of more than 20 percent since 2014, stolen vehicle reports so far this year are down nearly 10 percent.

“For many, many years we had said ‘please lock your car, don’t leave your keys in your car,’” Police Chief Jon Thum said this week while addressing the Sioux Falls City Council. “I’m happy to report … as we sit right now, stolen vehicles are down for the first time in years.”

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