Adams County sheriff reports declines in eight crime categories since 2021

Reported incidents in unincorporated Adams County fell in every listed category from 2021 to 2025, while preliminary 2026 figures through June show a mixed trend.

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Reported crime in unincorporated Adams County fell from 2021 to 2025 in all eight categories listed by the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, including a 58% decline in motor-vehicle theft and a 42% decline in theft, the sheriff’s office said.

The release lists these counts and percentage changes:

Category20212025Change
Arson4733Down 30%
Burglary414244Down 41%
Theft2,1751,260Down 42%
Motor-vehicle theft1,345565Down 58%
Aggravated assault482333Down 31%
Criminal homicide85Down 38%
Robbery11154Down 51%
Rape10880Down 26%

The percentages compare 2021 with 2025, not 2025 with 2026, the sheriff’s office later clarified. The figures are counts, not population-adjusted rates, and the release does not provide detailed category definitions or explain how incidents were counted.

The release also reports preliminary 2026 comparisons through June, so they are not full-year results. Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft, homicide, aggravated assault and rape were lower than in 2025 through that point, while arson and robbery were higher, the office said.

The sheriff’s office said it will focus on the robbery increase through its proactive patrol team, Community Resource Team and partnerships with the FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It also cited a new sex-crimes detective and a Human Trafficking Unit.

Sheriff Gene Claps attributed the longer-term declines to daily police work, targeted auto-theft enforcement, participation in the Colorado Metro Auto Theft Task Force, proactive policing and community partnerships. The released figures do not establish how much any one program contributed. Population changes and differences in reporting practices also could affect the totals.