TV6 Investigates: Car thefts down in Davenport, up in other cities

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - As 2021 comes to a close, TV6 Investigates took a look at crime rates in the Metro-Quad Cities and how they compared to previous years. As first of a three part series, the team sent in Freedom of Information Acts to Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline and Rock Island for their stolen vehicle rates.

The request included information involving the type of vehicle, location and date of the thefts from 2019 to December 12, 2021.

The data shows every city except for Davenport experienced more car thefts in 2021 than in previous years.

Bettendorf experienced 24 more thefts in 2021 than in 2020, while Rock Island experienced 15 more thefts in 2021 and Moline saw the most, at 27 more thefts in 2021 than in 2020. Davenport car thefts decreased by 12 percent, or 62 less vehicles stolen in 2021 than in 2020.

That is not to say there wasn’t still a significant number of cars stolen in the city in 2021. At least 470 vehicles in Davenport were stolen in 2021. 532 cars were stolen in 2020, and 394 in 2019.

Meanwhile, 85 cars in total were stolen in Bettendorf in 2021 (until December 12 of the year), 61 in 2020, and 42 in 2019. Moline saw 158 vehicles stolen in 2021 in comparison to 2020, at 131 cars stolen. 91 cars were stolen in 2019. Finally, Rock Island saw 157 car thefts in 2021, 142 in 2020 and 117 in 2019.

In total, 870 cars were stolen across the metro Quad City area in 2021. If each resident had a car, 2 out of every 1,000 would be stolen.

Compared to 2019, when 644 vehicles were stolen Quad City-wide, it is a significant increase.

Davenport, however, counts for the majority of those numbers. In the years of 2019 through 2021, Davenport’s vehicle thefts reach the thousands, while none of the other cities pass 450 stolen cars.

In a map that TV6 made, Davenport’s major theft locations are around the downtown area and in some neighborhoods.

Major Quad City police departments have come together to release numerous campaigns over the years, encouraging residents to lock their vehicles. They continue to stand behind the statement that locking your car can decrease the chances of theft astronomically.

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