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Maplewood police credit focused detectives and DNA processing for sharp drop in auto thefts
Summary
Chief Bearden told the council Maplewood—s targeted initiative—including two grant-funded auto-theft detectives, mandatory full processing of recovered vehicles and a crime analyst—helped reduce auto-theft incidents 47% from 2022 to 2024 and raised the clearance rate to about 67%.
Maplewood, Minn. — Police officials told the City Council on March 10 that a concentrated, evidence-driven approach helped reduce auto theft in Maplewood and sharply increase solvability.
Chief Bearden credited a city strategy that included two grant-funded auto-theft detectives, full processing of recovered vehicles (including fingerprints and DNA), a dedicated crime analyst to identify hot spots and closer coordination with the Ramsey County Attorney—s Office and neighboring jurisdictions. "So credit goes 100% to [our staff]," Bearden said. "Our clearance rate ... we're at 67%."
Bearden framed auto theft as a quality-of-life issue that cascades into other problems for victims: "It's your only car, your only source of transportation. Now you can't get to your job, you can't take your kids to school and it ends up being a snowball effect." He told the council that nationally solvability for auto theft is roughly 9–10 percent, and said Maplewood—s work raised the city—s clearance rate to the high 60s.
Staff also reported that between 2022 and 2024 Maplewood reduced thefts by 47 percent, and that Ramsey County recorded one of the largest countywide decreases nationally in 2024 with Maplewood showing the greatest decrease within Ramsey County. The department said the combination of investigative follow-up, using DNA and fingerprints, partnerships with prosecutors and public education campaigns produced measurable results.
Mayor Abrams and councilmembers publicly thanked police staff for the effort and results. City leaders said the approach—s elements and interagency cooperation drew regional attention at a recent Regional Council of Mayors public-safety panel.
