Arvada Crime Update: July 14 - July 27, 2025

This edition of the crime update includes weekly reports from July 14 through July 27, with data shown below as a total aggregate for this reporting period.

Changes in Homeless Outreach Reporting

Since our last report, Arvada PD has restored most weeks of CORE data, including resources offered, resources accepted, and disciplinary actions. However, there is still no data being reported for total number of CORE contacts per week.

Program Effectiveness Concerns

In the last few weeks, we have seen a sharp decline in the acceptance rate of resources by homeless individuals, which has dropped to 28%. In this reporting period, there was a significant increase in the offerings of One Small Step program assistance, suggesting that individuals who are being offered information about the program are criminal defendants facing jail time or fines for low-level offenses. Despite individuals being offered access to the One Small Step program 23 times in July, only 2 or 3 have accepted this resource. This raises questions about program efficacy: for the time and money invested in outreach, what measurable impact are we achieving? What data does the city collect to evaluate the effectiveness of homelessness programs, and why aren't these outcomes shared comprehensively with the citizens who fund them?

Moving Forward

Arvada's approach to homelessness has proven expensive, minimally effective, and lacking in transparency. The city should identify areas requiring clear metrics for measuring program success beyond contact numbers and share this information publicly. Given other significant crime trends, Arvada should consider community needs and resource allocation priorities. Based on 2025 data patterns, citizens might question whether resources would be better allocated to property crime prevention for individuals and businesses, community safety programs addressing the 384 assault incidents this year, and evidence-based homelessness solutions rather than unmeasured initiatives.

What solutions do you think the City should explore to make Arvada a place where you feel safe? Tell us in the comments!

Driver Crashes Into Building After Hitting Gas Instead of Brake

On July 14 at 10:15 a.m., a driver in the parking lot at 7728 Vance Drive mistakenly accelerated and crashed into the back of a building. While no one was injured, the impact caused significant structural damage. Arvada Fire responded to provide temporary structural support, and the City’s building inspector deemed the structure unsafe. (AR25012018)

Burglars Attempt to Steal ATM from Gas Station

On July 17 at 2:04 a.m., officers responded to a burglary alarm at a gas station near the 6200 block of Ralston Road and found glass broken on the building’s north side. Unknown suspects had forced entry and tried to steal an ATM. Two suspect vehicles, one silver SUV and one red SUV, were involved. (AR25012190)

Wanted Felon Located Hiding in Vehicle Trunk

On July 18 at 8:58 p.m., officers attempted to arrest a suspect, who had outstanding warrants related to firearms, motor vehicle theft, and fentanyl distribution, at a residence in the 10400 block of W. 60th Avenue. After announcements were ignored, tactical devices were deployed, and several individuals exited the residence. The suspect was ultimately found hiding inside the trunk of a vehicle parked in the garage and taken into custody. (AR25012343)

Burglary in Progress at Arvada Ridge Station

On July 24 at about 6:49 a.m., officers responded to the RTD Arvada Ridge Station at 10189 W. 53rd Place for a burglary in progress involving three suspects using bolt cutters to break into storage lockers. The suspects boarded an eastbound G-Line train and were contacted by APD officers at the Olde Town Station, but all fled on bicycles. One suspect was caught near Smokin Fins restaurant after refusing commands, and he received minor scrapes but declined medical attention. The investigation revealed the suspects broke into two bike storage structures in Arvada and attempted to break into a utility box at a Wheat Ridge Park-N-Ride. The other suspects were not located. (AR25012671)

Series of Early Morning Burglaries at Local Businesses

On July 24 at about 6:05 a.m., officers responded to an alarm at a business in Ralston Plaza on W 64th Ave near Ward Rd. They discovered unknown suspects had forcibly gained entry into the business. At 7:23 a.m., officers responded to a similar burglary at a different business in the shopping center, where suspects again forcibly gained entry. Surveillance footage showed two suspects wearing face coverings, hoodies, gloves, and carrying pry tools. A dark-colored mid-size sedan was seen leaving the business. These cases remain under investigation (AR25012669, AR25012675)

Wanted Suspect Arrested After Standoff at Residence

Over several weeks, Arvada PD had responded multiple times to a residence near W 54th Ave and Owens St for domestic disturbances involving two individuals, with one having multiple warrants and being restrained from the home. On July 27, officers learned the wanted suspect was inside the residence with several people. Announcements and phone calls went unanswered, and a family member reported the suspect was agitated and refusing to exit. After deploying a Flash Sound Diversionary Device (FSDD) and breaching a front window, officers used a drone and located the suspect lying on a couch. He was taken into custody without further incident, medically cleared, and transported to Jefferson County Jail. (AR25012886)

Community Outreach Resources Enforcement (CORE)

The CORE team focuses on issues in the community related to homelessness. They respond to calls involving homeless people, proactively offer resources, and conduct enforcement when other support methods are not effective.

CORE Team contact and enforcement data is partially available for this period. - Total CORE Team Contacts - All contacts resulted in an enforcement action.

Resources Offered

• 0 Mental health

• 0 Substance abuse

• 0 Housing

• 5 One Small Step info

• 0 Other

• 1 Navigator assistance

• 0 Employment

• 0 Vital document recovery

0 Resources Accepted

Enforcement Actions*

• 4 Trespass

• 3 Verbal Warning

• 7 Citation

• 1 Arrest - New Charges

• 1 Jailed - Warrant

*More than one enforcement action may be used per person.

Arrests

135 Total Arrests*

• 59 Taken into custody

• 76 Released on summons

*Arrested persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Classification of charges may change any time after arrest. Arrest data may not be finalized at time of publication.

Crime Data

399 Total Crime Reports*

Crimes most reported

• 67 Theft (other than vehicle and shoplift)

• 39 Criminal Mischief

• 42 Harassment

• 38 Fraud

• 27 Assault

• 21 Shoplift

• 25 Drug Paraphernalia

• 14 Motor Vehicle Theft

• 33 Burglary

• 18 Protection Order Violation

*Incidents under investigation may be re-classified as criminal or noncriminal after publication. Crime reports may contain more than one criminal charge. All figures are preliminary and are not meant to be final crime statistics.

Traffic

57 Reported Crashes

• 3 Injury Crash

• 0 Fatality Crashes

516 Traffic Stops

• 307 Drivers Cited

Top Violations Cited:

• 91 Speeding 10-19 mph over limit

• 36 Plates expired 60+ days

• 38 No proof of insurance

• 10 Speeding 20-24 mph over limit

• 28 Operating unregistered vehicle

• 29 No seat belt

Calls for Service

4,357 Total Calls for Service*

Top call types received and dispatched:

• 119 Homelessness Related Calls

• 101 Welfare Check

• 73 Citizen Assist

• 62 Traffic Complaint

• 56 Theft

• 50 Suspicious Incident

• 49 Harassment

• 47 Unwanted Party

• 43 Disturbance

• 23 Domestic

• 20 Civil Assist

• 17 Noise Disturbance

*Total calls for service includes all dispatched and self-initiated activity by Department personnel. Calls for service include criminal and non-criminal activity and may not result in a written report.