PUEBLO, Colorado — The Pueblo Police Department announced Friday it had received arrest warrants for 8 juveniles suspected of stealing Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Group members referred to themselves as "The Kia Boys," according to a department news release.
The suspects range in ages from 12 to 15 years and are both male and female. The investigation resulted in the recovery of multiple stolen vehicles from the cities of Pueblo, Fountain, and Colorado Springs.
It did not surprise people in downtown near the Riverwalk that the group was reportedly stealing Kia's and Hyundai's.
"We already know from the news that there was a glitch with their electronics that made it easy," said Jose Galeas who was out enjoying a walk.
"They are just the easiest to steal," added Kaden Mauro who was helping friends move. "I heard they could just do a Samsung cord, you know, hot wire with your own phone charging cord."
However, the ages of the suspects involved was more eye-opening.
"When we were 12, we were raised on the farm and whatnot," added Bryce Singletary who was helping Mauro with the move. "So, yeah, we didn't even have a chance to something crazy like that."
Galeas had his vehicle vandalized not too long ago, and he knows several people who have had their cars stolen.
"Yeah, that's a property crime but it's the kind of thing that leads to more serious situations," he said.
As of Friday, five of the suspects had been arrested, booked into a juvenile detention facility, and subsequently released on monitoring devices per requirements of state law.
Juvenile arrests in Colorado had declined for decades after reaching a peak of 70,710 in 1997. However, the most recent data from the Colorado Division of Youth Services show that trend is reversing.
Arrests increased by 13 percent last year compared to the 2021 fiscal year. Around 41 percent of all young people in detention in FY 2022 were incarcerated or violent crimes.
One 15-year-old male suspect was also named as a person of interest in an August 17 shooting in Pueblo. Detectives with the department's Persons Crimes unit sought and obtained an additional warrant for him on a charge of attempted first degree murder.
That suspect was arrested Friday and booked into a juvenile detention facility.
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