Storage unit thefts surge in Arapahoe County, renters urged to be vigilant
DENVER (KDVR) — Arapahoe County is dealing with an increase in storage unit thefts, with nearly 60 reported so far this year.
After a “rapid increase” in thefts, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies are warning the public.
“We’ve never seen it happen at this level before. The uptick started during COVID and hasn’t stopped. We need to educate the public and take away the opportunity for these types of crimes. It’s the only way it’s going to stop,” said Investigations Sgt. Brett Cohn.
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In 2024 so far, there have been 59 reported storage thefts in Arapahoe County. Since 2020, the numbers have been increasing substantially, according to the department.
2020 – 115 thefts
2021 – 150 thefts
2022 – 144 thefts
2023 – 138 thefts
How thieves get inside units
Investigators are warning renters about the many ways thieves can obtain access to a storage unit.
According to the sheriff’s office, the most common way is by renting a unit online using a fake or stolen identity and then using that unit to store property that has been stolen from nearby units.
The department also said suspects will park their cars near a fence and throw over the stolen goods before selling them online.
Recent investigations
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said it is currently investigating two cases.
The first case happened on April 19 at the Greenbox Self Storage at 8115 S. Chester St. in Centennial. According to deputies, a male and female allegedly burglarized a storage unit and then returned on May 14 to receive the victim’s computer.
The sheriff’s office said the male suspect stored the computer in a rented unit that he allegedly obtained through a stolen driver’s license.
Deputies have released surveillance footage in the hope that they can identify the suspects.
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The second case happened on April 30 when investigators served a search warrant at the Public Storage located at 9600 E. Costilla Ave. in Greenwood Village. The suspect in this case allegedly burglarized two units and stole more than $50,000 worth of property, according to the sheriff’s office.
The thief reportedly put the stolen goods inside a rented unit nearby.
Photos and video of the investigation have been released.
Tips on how to protect your unit and property
The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said storage unit thefts are difficult to solve because there are rarely any witnesses or surveillance footage.
The department has offered these tips on how you can protect your property from thieves:
Don’t put anything sentimental or meaningful in a storage unit
Never put anything with personal information like ID cards or checkbooks, inside the unit
Photograph and document all your belongings
Check on your storage unit once a week at a minimum
Get an insurance policy for the value of your belongings in case your unit gets swiped
Think of installing a camera inside your unit
Consider an Apple AirTag so your property can be tracked
Install a motion sensor on the door so you can be alerted if someone tries to enter
“The best advice we can give people is, only use a storage facility for furniture and large items. Never store anything meaningful or valuable inside. If you look closely, it states that on the contracts you sign before you rent,” said Investigator Nelson Trumbull.
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The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said it’s also important to ask questions before signing a lease and renting a storage unit.
Be sure to ask about the safety features, if there are any video cameras and if there is a guard on site.
The sheriff’s office said that those caught burglarizing a storage unit can face charges of felony burglary, criminal mischief or trespassing.
Shawn Hill recently learned the hard way about how crooks are getting full access to storage facilities after thieves broke into his locked unit.
“I had a bunch of servers and electronic equipment and surveillance cameras stolen, because that’s the industry that I work in. Approximately about $50,000 worth,” Hill told FOX31’s Nicole Fierro. “I ended up getting about $10,000 of it back. Insurance will only cover up to $5,000, and they wouldn’t cover any of it.”
To avoid having this happen to him again, or to others, he looked at how the thieves broke into his locked unit and invented a device to try to offset their tactics.
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