Is there an abandoned vehicle in your area? While these can certainly be eyesores and annoyances, first determine if the car is abandoned according to City statute.
If the car is on private property, such as an alley, “for a period of 24 hours or longer … without the consent of the owner or lessee of such property,” or if it has been “fitted with an immobilization device” (eg a “boot”), it is considered abandoned.
The rules are different for vehicles on public property, but also simpler. If a car is “left unattended on public property for a period of 48 hours or longer,” it is considered abandoned.
Cars that qualify as abandoned per City of Denver statute can be reported online (select “Abandoned Vehicle” from the drop-down menu) or via phone call to 720-865-0471. For either method of reporting, be prepared to provide:
- Address where abandoned
- Make, model, year, color, and anything else of note
- License plate number
Unfortunately, the act of reporting alone will not immediately take care of the problem. The Denver Abandoned Vehicle Unit is currently understaffed and working through a large backlog, according to Lowry’s DPD Community Resource Officers. And once the Unit does get to your report and physically tag the vehicle as abandoned, the car must remain in place unattended for another 72 hours before it can be impounded. If you have previously submitted a claim about a particular vehicle and it’s still there, you can contact the City for an update or resubmit the claim.