Mesa County Sees Drop in Property Crime, Rise in Fraud Cases

Sheriff's Office reports historic lows in property crime but increase in online and phone scams

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:55pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, torn financial document against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the investigation into growing fraud cases in the region.As fraud cases rise in Mesa County, law enforcement works to combat scams through education and investigation.Grand Junction Today

The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has released its 2025 crime statistics, showing a decline in property crime to near-historic lows but a rise in fraud cases across the county. The report also highlighted the Sheriff's Office's continued success in clearing aggravated assault cases, significantly outpacing the Colorado state average.

Why it matters

These statistics provide insight into the evolving crime landscape in Mesa County, with property crime declining but fraud cases on the rise, likely driven by the increase in online and phone scams targeting residents. The Sheriff's Office's ability to effectively clear violent assault cases is also noteworthy, indicating strong investigative capabilities.

The details

Property crime in Mesa County reached its second-lowest point since the Sheriff's Office began tracking data in 2008, continuing a steady decrease since 2020. However, fraud cases increased in 2025, a trend that Sheriff Todd Rowell expressed dissatisfaction with, describing fraud as challenging due to the rise of online, phone, and tech scams. Meanwhile, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office maintained a 16-year streak of holding a higher clearance rate for aggravated assault cases than the Colorado state average, clearing 81.44% of such cases in 2025 compared to the state average of 55.9%.

  • The Mesa County Sheriff's Office has been monitoring crime statistics since 2008 when the Colorado Bureau of Investigations started publicly reporting annual crime statistics for the state.
  • Property crime in Mesa County has been on a steady decrease since 2020.
  • In 2025, the Mesa County Sheriff's Office cleared 81.44% of aggravated assault cases, compared to the Colorado state average of 55.9%.

The players

Todd Rowell

The Mesa County Sheriff, who expressed dissatisfaction with the rise in fraud cases and emphasized the importance of education in preventing such scams.

Colorado Bureau of Investigations

The state agency that began publicly reporting annual crime statistics in 2008, which the Mesa County Sheriff's Office has been using to track data.

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What they’re saying

“So if I'm a patrol deputy out on the street right now and I'm talking to you and you give me a false name, there is somebody looking through my camera quite often telling you, telling the deputy who who's who you're actually talking to and they're giving you a false name.”

— Todd Rowell, Mesa County Sheriff

“I'm not happy with that I know the talented the people of this organization and our community.”

— Todd Rowell, Mesa County Sheriff

What’s next

Sheriff Rowell is looking to break the upward trend in fraud cases next year, emphasizing that education is the best way to prevent such scams.

The takeaway

The crime statistics in Mesa County highlight the evolving nature of criminal activity, with property crime declining but fraud cases on the rise due to the proliferation of online and phone scams. The Sheriff's Office's success in clearing violent assault cases demonstrates its investigative capabilities, while the focus on education to combat fraud underscores the importance of community engagement in addressing emerging crime trends.