KOAA.com

Tagged News

• Accused officer will keep pension

  May 10, 2013 7:00 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - A Colorado Springs police sergeant charged with filling out phony time sheets will get to keep his pension. The district attorney filed charges of theft and forgery against Sergeant James Butierres yesterday. Just before making a court appearance, Butierres filed his retirement paperwork. Dan Slack,... more »

• 5 Uncovers: Library thefts result in big losses Play Video

  April 23, 2013 6:20 PM

  More than 75,000 books, CD's and DVD's have gone missing from libraries across Colorado Springs since 2009. "Others can't use that material if they haven't returned it," Sydne Dean with the Pikes Peak Library District said. "We'd like people to return their books so everyone can share." Below... more »

• UPDATE: Toddler found safe, father in custody and facing charges Play Video

  April 11, 2013 6:16 PM

  A toddler missing since January from Corpus Christi, Texas has been found unharmed in Colorado Springs and the child's father is now under arrest and facing charges. One-year-old Alecxavian Zapata was found at a home near Pikes Peak Avenue and Chelton Road Wednesday night around 10 p.m. according to... more »

• 15 weapons taken from shop on 'American Guns' show

  March 2, 2013 12:17 PM

  WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (AP) - Police in suburban Denver say 12 handguns and three rifles were taken from the gun shop featured on Discovery Channel's "American Guns." Wheat Ridge police had said earlier this week that they didn't have an immediate tally of what was taken during a break-in at... more »

• Court to decide whether to try homicide suspect as adult

  February 27, 2013 2:38 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - The teenage suspect of a double homicide that claimed the lives of a Fort Carson Soldier and his pregnant wife may be tried as a juvenile rather than as an adult. Macyo January, 17, is accused of shooting and killing SSG David Dunlap and his wife Whitney... more »

• Snow footprints leads police to alleged thieves

  February 11, 2013 12:56 PM

  Colorado Springs, CO - Colorado Springs police were dispatched to the 9000 block of Aragon Drive this morning around 1:30a.m. in response to individuals attempting to steal item from inside of vehicles. The victim reported confronting the two male suspects, but they fled the area on foot. Due to recent... more »

• Copper thieves disguising themselves as city utility workers? Play Video

  December 3, 2012 9:38 PM

  So far this year, City of Colorado Springs has spent more than $500,000 to replace stolen copper wire being taken from street lights. It's a growing problem for taxpayers, and a story News 5 has been following for years. Both the City and Colorado Springs Utilities have had... more »

• Holiday auto burglaries: Victim wants others to avoid the headache and hassle Play Video

  December 2, 2012 6:28 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS- It's that time of year again when law enforcement agencies across the region begin seeing a spike in auto burglaries. Yarima Herrera knows all to well the headache and hassle a car break-in can cause. "I had to pay a $250 deductible," she said. "My jewelry... more »

• Mailboxes damaged, mail stolen in Larimer County

  November 21, 2012 9:07 AM

  FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Authorities say someone pried the backs off cluster mailboxes in Larimer County and stole mail. The Larimer County Sheriff's Department says the damage and thefts occurred last weekend on a street near Horsetooth Reservoir west of Fort Collins and in Rist Canyon northwest of the... more »

• Man accuses teen of theft, allegedly orders a dog to attack teen for interrogation

  September 5, 2012 7:47 PM

  FOND DU LAC, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin authorities say a homeowner who accused an 18-year-old man of theft bound the teen by the ankles, hung him upside-down and commanded a pit bull attack him while the teen's father watched. The homeowner and father are due in court Thursday in Fond... more »

• Self-appointed neighborhood watch group stops possible burglary

  August 20, 2012 12:25 PM

  A self-appointed neighborhood watch group in Colorado Springs helped the police department catch two juveniles, allegedly trying to steal a car. In a report, police say four residents woke up just after four a.m. Sunday to the sound of a car alarm. This was near the 6900 block of... more »

• Copper wire theft nearly cancels Territory Days Play Video

  May 24, 2012 12:43 AM

  Tuesday night copper wire thieves struck again, but this time it almost cost us the Territory Days Festival. Jim Wear organizes the Territory Days Festival in Colorado Springs every year. When he went to set up, he was shocked to find his extension cords missing from his truck. Police... more »

• Vendors report thefts at festival

  May 20, 2012 7:00 PM

  Some vendors say they lost a lot of money at the Wild Wild West Fest this year. Three different vendors tell News 5 someone stole their merchandise in the middle of the night after the festival closed. In all, they say they lost more than $3,000 worth of stuff. ... more »

• Colorado ID theft up

  May 3, 2012 8:16 AM

  Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the nation. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Colorado is number one in the country for fraud, and 11th for ID theft complaints. A new problem now, is stealing social security numbers from children, The BBB says the scary part is... more »

• Suspect in Afghanistan airfield incident dies

  March 15, 2012 8:26 AM

  The suspect in yesterday's car theft and possible attack at Bastion Airfield in Afghanistan's Helmand province died this morning while under medical care, the commander of International Security Assistance Force Joint Command said. The incident took place around the time Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta's plane landed at the... more »

• Black market thieves after detergent

  March 15, 2012 4:54 AM

  Did you realize your detergent is one of the most popular black market commodities? Turns out crooks are looking to turn a quick profit by shoplifting and selling Tide laundry detergent. Thieves are being caught on surveillance cameras across the country and now that orang bottle is being... more »

• Copper thieves take out streetlights in Old Colorado City

  January 26, 2012 8:44 PM

  A two mile stretch of Old Colorado City is dark after copper wire thieves strike again. This is a section of town that has seen a fair share of crime, and business owners worry that the cover of darkness might attract even more criminals and put their livelihoods at risk. ... more »

• Victim warns of car part thefts Play Video

  January 24, 2012 5:41 PM

  If you drive an SUV and leave it parked outside, watch out. Thieves are now stealing parts right off of parked vehicles. Mary Arneson had the catalytic converter stolen from her Toyota Forerunner this weekend. She didn't drive until Monday morning and immediately thought the muffler had been removed... more »

• City to begin repairing street lights Play Video

  January 4, 2012 11:14 PM

  Just last month 61 year old milk truck driver Billy Reed rolled his semi on I-25 near the Bijou exit. He later died. While the accident as a whole is still under investigation, there is at least one glaring problem we found on that road... lots of darkness. "All of... more »

• Wave of credit, debit card thefts strikes Loveland

  October 22, 2011 2:22 PM

  LOVELAND, Colo. (AP) - Credit and debit card thieves have apparently targeted residents of Loveland, where police say they are investigating hundreds of cases of stolen card numbers racking up fraudulent charges. Police said Friday they've received more than 500 complaints in the past seven days. They say the... more »

• CO Man pleads guilty in finger-mangling iPad theft

  September 10, 2011 8:10 AM

  DENVER (AP) - A man who mangled a shopper's finger while stealing an iPad faces up to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty in the case. The Denver District Attorney's office says 22-year-old Brandon Smith pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated robbery and second-degree assault in an agreement with... more »

• Don't be a victim of a car break-in

  July 27, 2011 8:30 PM

  Folks enjoying our local parks and trails are being targeted by thieves and some are forgetting to keep valuables out of sight in their cars. On Monday night three cars were broken into while they parked in a lot in monument valley park. CSPD says they have no leads... more »

• Utilities employees arrested for theft

  June 10, 2011 6:32 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS (AP) - Colorado Springs police say three Colorado Springs Utilities employees have been arrested in connection with the theft of equipment from a utilities storage facility. Robert Maestas, Thomas Mattorano and William Mohrenweiser have been arrested on suspicion of felony theft and accessory to felony theft. All three... more »

• Three utilities employees arrested for theft

  June 9, 2011 2:45 PM

  Three employees of Colorado Springs Utilities have been arrested for stealing items found in a shed. Detectives were looking into a theft at a storage building in the 900 block of South Union Boulevard. An anonymous tip led them to a shed and the owner authorized a search. Inside... more »

• Government warns of tax return theft

  June 1, 2011 6:02 PM

  WASHINGTON (AP) - Imagine filing your tax return and learning that someone else got your refund. Someone using your name and Social Security number. It's happening a lot more often these days. A government report finds that instances of taxpayer identity theft have increased nearly five-fold over the past... more »

• Former Pueblo man facing charges on another Vegas heist

  May 12, 2011 9:34 PM

  LAS VEGAS (AP) - The 29-year-old man accused in the armed heist of $1.5 million in casino chips from the posh Bellagio resort has been charged in an earlier casino robbery that netted nearly $19,000 in cash. Las Vegas police said Anthony Carleo was re-booked Thursday on suspicion of... more »

• Thefts on the rise in certain parking lots

  April 21, 2011 11:24 PM

  The best practice in making sure that you do not fall victim of a car theft is to "not leave anything valuable in your car," says CSPD Sgt. Steve Noblitt. Noblitt does want to warn people about leaving garage door openers in their cars. Criminals who are very persistent may... more »

• CSPD warning hikers about "smash and grabs"

  April 21, 2011 1:17 PM

  Warmer weather is here and the CSPD is seeing an increase in "smash and grabs" into cars in many parking lots across our area. Targeted parking lots include those at Palmer Park, Garden of the Gods, Bear Creek Park, Cheyenne Canyon and Red Rock Canyon. We're talking with... more »

• Memorial Hospital warns of scam

  April 8, 2011 11:45 AM

  A fake letter with the Memorial Health System's logo is under investigation by police as a possible scam. The letter claims personal information provided to Memorial may have been stolen, and it urges people to call a Miami-based phone number. Memorial reports there has been no theft or loss... more »

• Three arrested in thefts from unlocked vehicles

  March 2, 2011 3:10 PM

  El Paso County Sheriff's Deputies arrested three men early yesterday morning on theft charges. Officers had been alerted by an observant citizen who said he saw three suspicious men in the Security area. The suspects have been identified as: 20 year old Stefan LePage, 21 year old Jonathan Kemper,... more »

• Judge delays trial involving Nuggets coach

  February 26, 2011 2:44 PM

  A Wisconsin judge has delayed the trial of a man charged with theft and property damage to a building owned by Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl. The Appleton Post Crescent reports that Aaron Marheine, 34, was the owner of an Appleton nightclub housed in a building owned by Karl.... more »

• Crimestoppers seeks forgery suspect

  February 11, 2011 5:08 PM

  Pueblo Police need your help in finding a forger caught on surveillance video. In mid-December a vehicle was burglarized and along with other items, checks were stolen. Later checks were cashed at Wal-Mart, KMart and Loaf n Jug. Police are trying to identify the man captured in surveillance... more »

• Police find more copper thefts after stolen vehicle is recovered.

  January 29, 2011 6:40 PM

  Colorado Springs Police were notified by citizens who heard a loud crash around midnight Friday night and later noted a pick up truck on the median at Grand Cordera Parkway and Happy Meadows. When officers arrived they found that besides the truck, they found what appeared to be a... more »

• Light system stolen from hydroponics store

  January 28, 2011 5:19 PM

  A Pueblo store owner says a man grabbed about $400 worth of merchandise and ran out the door Wednesday. Pueblo Hydroponics downtown sells equipment for growing plants indoors as well as growing plants in liquid solutions instead of dirt. Jason Dawson reported a young man grabbed a light system... more »

• Colorado Springs Police investigating a not so cool theft

  January 16, 2011 6:02 PM

  Colorado Springs Police are investigating the theft of a $45,000 air conditioning unit. Officers from the Falcon Division began their investigation at 1710 Dublin Blvd. where an air conditioning unit was removed from the roof and rolled into a trash dumpster. When officers arrived at the address the unit was... more »

• CSPD warning: thieves stealing catalytic converters

  January 14, 2011 8:38 AM

  Colorado Springs Police Department have issued a warning about a new crime pattern in the city. In the past four months there have been a dozen reports of catalytic converters being stolen from vehicles throughout the city. Catalytic converters contain precious metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium with a... more »

• Alert Citizens help nab mail thieves

  January 7, 2011 10:33 AM

  Colorado Springs Police tell NewsFirst5 that alert citizens reported activity deemed suspicious in the Shadowglen area of Colorado Springs which is located near N. Academy and Flintridge Drive. Officers were alerted by citizens who witnessed two suspects in a Honda Civic access private mailboxes and leave. Following the report... more »

• Man charged with assault on a police officer

  January 3, 2011 7:34 PM

  A Colorado Springs Police Officer was injured this afternoon as he tried to arrest a car theft suspect. According to the police report, two officers saw a stolen car in the parking lot at the Citadel Mall around 2 p.m. They watched as two men got into the car.... more »

• Monument looks for car break-in suspects

  December 17, 2010 4:07 PM

  Monument residents have experienced an increase in vehicle break-ins at business parking lots. Generally the crimes are happening in the early evening hours. According to Monument Police, most of the vehicles were locked and a window was smashed to get at something in plain sight, like a purse or backpack.... more »

• Woman sentenced for theft related to Pueblo man's murder

  December 16, 2010 1:48 PM

  We have an update on one of several suspects linked to the murder of a Pueblo man. This morning one of them got sentenced to prison. Elizabeth Abeyta pleaded guilty to felony theft and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. The judge said Abeyta and two... more »

• Police K9 dog helps arrest car theft suspect

  December 16, 2010 10:56 AM

  A juvenile car theft suspect got more than he planned for last night in an encounter with "Officer Rudy." Rudy is a police dog. A car was reported stolen after its owner left the keys in it near Galley and Academy. The car was spotted by police officers and... more »

• Police use Twitter to catch car thieves

  December 15, 2010 11:16 PM

  Colorado Springs Police are going high tech and looking for your help in finding stolen cars. The new program, which kicked off Wednesday, uses CSPD's Twitter account to notify their followers of a car theft the minute it happens. "This is kind of a new approach to policing." explains Sgt.... more »

• One charge dropped against former Goodwill manager

  December 8, 2010 2:41 PM

  A former director of the Pueblo Goodwill still faces three felony counts, but a more serious theft charge was dropped this morning. Debra Diaz was fired earlier this year after board members noticed bookkeeping problems. She was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Pueblo District Court today, but instead... more »

• Former postal worker sentenced to prison for mail theft

  December 1, 2010 7:19 PM

  HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. (AP) - A former Denver-area postal worker who stole more than 11,000 packages and sold the items for more than $85,000 has been sentenced to 2.5 years in federal prison. Denver's KUSA-TV reports the judge sentenced 48-year-old David Schmauder to the maximum sentence Monday. He pleaded... more »

• Protecting yourself this holiday shopping season

  November 20, 2010 11:47 PM

  Over the next few weeks, thousands of shoppers in Southern Colorado will flood the malls and other stores looking to score the perfect Christmas gift. But some of those gifts will never make it to their loved one. Around this time of year, police see a rise in thefts around... more »

• Man arrested after altercation with deputy

  November 17, 2010 6:46 PM

  A man was arrested early yesterday morning after he allegedly tried to take a deputy's gun. It happened around 2 a.m. near Fontaine and Marksheffel. A Sheriff's Deputy was investigating two men in a vehicle parked in an open field. According to the deputy, one of the men got... more »

• Court records: man admits wanting to kill officers

  October 18, 2010 10:38 PM

  An Oklahoma man is not currently facing charges for threatening to kill Colorado Springs Police officers. It's a bizarre turn of events that has put John Patrick Winkler, 43, in the El Paso County Jail on drug charges. On the afternoon of October 12, a 20-year-old man named John Reed... more »

• Four vehicles damaged during arrest

  September 30, 2010 2:46 PM

  Four vehicles were damaged when a Colorado Springs Police Officer attempted to stop a suspect in a stolen vehicle. Officer J. Reeser attempted to detain the suspect at a red light at 8th and Cimarron. Reeser reported the suspect vehicle ran into another officer's car, as well as two... more »

• Two arrested for equipment theft

  September 30, 2010 12:45 PM

  Two men were arrested Wednesday in Pueblo on theft related charges after a witness reported seeing someone moving a wood splitter down a busy northside Pueblo street. Officers found a trailer parked in the 2000 block of Greenwood. The trailer, which had been loaded with equipment, had been stolen... more »

• Nogales mayor arrested

  September 28, 2010 2:33 PM

  PHOENIX (AP) - The Arizona attorney general says Nogales Mayor Octavio Garcia Von Borstel has been arrested on multiple charges including bribery, theft, fraud and money laundering. The 29-year-old mayor was arrested Tuesday morning at his office at the Nogales City Hall. Search warrants were executed at his home,... more »

• Elbert County official faces theft charges

  September 23, 2010 7:42 PM

  KIOWA, Colo. (AP) - An Elbert County official facing embezzlement and other charges has been placed on paid leave of absence. The Denver Post reports that the commissioners took the action on Wednesday in the case of assessor Phyllis Jean "P.J." Trostel. The 57-year-old Trostel was indicted Sept. 10 on... more »

• Violent crimes drop across nation, locally

  September 13, 2010 7:47 PM

  The Federal Bureau of Investigation says violent crime across the country has dropped for the third straight year. Murders are down 7%; robberies down 8%; assaults dipped 4%; and car thefts dropped a whopping 17%. Those numbers are in tune with crime statistics in Southern Colorado, which seem to show... more »

• Phoenix airport worker arrested in luggage thefts

  September 3, 2010 9:38 AM

  A man who worked at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was arrested Thursday on suspicion that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of items from the luggage of passengers in a case that could include hundreds of victims from around the world. Officers saw Michael Hegstad, 23,... more »

• Accused iPad thief faces more charges

  August 17, 2010 7:17 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A man suspected of mangling a shopper's finger while stealing an iPad has been accused of trying to arrange to have the victim killed. Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey filed a charge of attempted first-degree murder Tuesday against 20-year-old Brandon Smith. Smith is also charged with... more »

• Thief sentenced to house arrest

  August 12, 2010 4:34 PM

  PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A suburban Philadelphia woman who admitted stealing $475,000 from her employer has been sentenced to 21 years of house arrest so she can work to repay it. A defense lawyer for 40-year-old Lanette Sansoni says the victim was more interested in restitution than jail time. Lawyer... more »

• Priest charged with using church money for male escorts

  July 6, 2010 3:31 PM

  NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - A Roman Catholic priest in Connecticut has been arrested on charges he stole $1.3 million in church money over seven years to use for male escorts, expensive clothing, and luxury hotels and restaurants. Waterbury police say the 64-year-old Rev. Kevin J. Gray was charged... more »

• News First 5 investigates mail tampering in Pueblo

  May 28, 2010 7:39 PM

  The U.S. Post Office in Pueblo says its been working extra hard to restore the public's confidence since something bad happened. A couple of months ago, you may remember three workers were caught stealing money and gifts cards from the mail. Another employee is under investigation. It's raised the question,... more »

• Pueblo Police look for identity theft suspect

  May 28, 2010 2:45 PM

  Pueblo Police are looking for a woman who was caught on tape, apparently cashing forged checks. Julia Zaya reported on April 28, that someone had taken her purse when she accidently left it on a bench at the Riverwalk in Pueblo. A week later it became apparent someone... more »

• Lone thief steals $613 million-worth of art

  May 20, 2010 9:30 AM

  A lone thief stole five paintings worth up to $613 million in total, including major works by Picasso and Matisse, in a brazen overnight heist Thursday from a Paris modern art museum, police and prosecutors said. The paintings were reported missing early Thursday from the Paris Museum of Modern... more »

• INDICTMENT INCLUDED: Former State Fair employee indicted on 5 felony counts

  May 13, 2010 1:49 PM

  Read the Grand Jury Indictment News First 5 is uncovering even more allegations against a former state fair executive. It involves state money and a close friend of the executive. The friend has also been indicted by a grand jury in a separate case - involving arson. Michael... more »