Auto thefts rise in Rio Rancho as burglaries decline
Rio Rancho police data through Jan 27 show 17 auto thefts with vehicles stolen and 20 burglaries, a shift in pattern. Sgt. Nicholas Onken cites cyclical theft trends, weather, school patterns, and jail cycles as reasons. he urges owners to garage cars, avoid leaving engines running, and lock doors. He also recommends VIN etching, alarms, and immobilizers and using nicb.org to assess risk.