Theft from vehicles left on I-25 has Weld County Sheriff deputies warning people to take steps to protect their cars should they break down along the interstate.
Last week the Weld County Sheriff's Office reported two cases where broken down vehicles were left, temporarily along the side of I-25. In each case the owners returned to the vehicles only to find their cars had been broken into and things had been stolen.
The first incident occurred near Weld County Road 6 east of Erie on Sept. 4. In this incident, the owner returned to his car two days after it broke down to find his tools and radio missing, according to a Facebook post from Weld County Sheriff's Office.
The second incident was reported on Saturday near Colo. 119. The owner left his car and returned later in the day. When he returned he found two men inside the vehicle. The men fled when they spotted the owner approaching. Upon inspection, the owner noticed several of his tools also had been stolen.
The men were later discovered by Weld County deputies in a silver 2005 Toyota 4Runner with a Colorado license plate 057 LUB, however, were forced to stop pursuit after the high-speed chase because a cause of concern for public safety, the post stated.
The Weld County Sheriff's Office encourages people to take extra caution if their vehicles break down on the side of the interstate. The following steps are recommended:
- Lock the vehicle
- Don't leave valuables or high-ticket items in the open
- Take all possessions with you if you are forced to leave the car
- Have the car towed to your home, a mechanic's shop or a secure location instead of leaving it on the side of the interstate
- Stay with the car until help arrives
Anyone with information regarding these or any other crime is asked to call the Weld County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at www.crimeshurt.com. Those submitting tips through Crime Stoppers that lead to the arrest and filing of charges on a suspect(s) may be eligible for a cash reward.
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