By Heather Willard | Fox31
DENVER (KDVR) — The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office announced that four people were arrested last week for multiple automobile thefts that crossed the Colorado and Utah border.
On April 15, Colorado and Utah law enforcement agencies were able to identify a suspect vehicle in eastern Utah. Law enforcement believed the suspects would return to Colorado in the early hours of April 16 with stolen vehicles. Law enforcement said they believe the suspects have used this tactic several times previously.
On April 16, the Colorado State Patrol, Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and members of Special Problem Enforcement and Response, a multi-jurisdictional task force based out of Garfield County, located the suspect vehicles entering Colorado. Officers initiated traffic stops, resulting in four arrests.
The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said in a post to Facebook that all of the stolen vehicles and trailers were recovered within hours of being taken, and said that without this operation, the property likely would be gone forever.
Law enforcement estimated that over $170,000 in property was recovered during the operation, which included two trucks, two Polaris Rzrs, two trailers and a Polaris Rzr frame.
Police are still investigating, and believe that the group has operated in Colorado and Utah “for some time” and is likely connected to thefts in both states.