COLORADO SPRINGS — A team effort is credited for stopping a string of crimes in Colorado Springs. “There were a series of shoplifts that occurred at area King Soopers stores. There was about a dozen over a period of three months,” said Detective Brian Corrado with Colorado Springs Police Department.
The case also shows why it is important to report all crimes, even if something may seem petty and of less importance to police. "Those little crimes one after another they do add up, even the little ones and we can put those pieces together with their help, with good evidence, then we can make a bigger case," Corrado said.
Corrado tells how the case got his attention. A King Soopers employee who tracks losses consistently made on-line reports to Colorado Springs Police. The reports showed small appliances, all valued less than a hundred bucks. A civilian staff member with Colorado Springs Police then spotted similarities that could tie together all the thefts and alerted Corrado. “Piece all these incidents together using similar suspect information, times of day, circumstances, things like that." Corrado says “pieces” are key to the job of a detective.
The evidence was pointing to two people already on the radar of other CSPD investigators. The VNI (Vice, Narcotics, Intelligence) Unit had information on two suspects who were likely the same two suspected in the string of shoplifts. The crimes happened in Colorado Springs, but the two were staying in Manitou Springs. To issue arrest warrants there was an assist from El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy.
So far close to $7,000 of stolen items have been identified. Illegal drugs were also found.
