Over $3K in tools stolen from work truck in Wheat Ridge

Gabby Easterwood
·2 min read
1

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. (KDVR) — In early January, a thief took off with over $3,000 in tools from a truck parked outside a Wheat Ridge home.

The house where the theft happened is about a block from the police station.

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The victim, Chris Rosevear, is a painting contractor who was working inside a Teller Street home at the time of the theft. The Wheat Ridge Police Department shared a video Wednesday showing the suspect pulling up to Rosevear’s truck in a black Toyota 4Runner.

Next, the homeowner comes out to try and stop the suspect.

“The owner went ahead and yelled at me, Chris did you bring help today? And I go, no, my guys are working on another job, and he went right running out the front door,” Rosevear said.

Suspect in Wheat Ridge theft stands next to a 4Runner
Suspect in Wheat Ridge theft stands next to a 4Runner

The video did not capture the actual theft, but Rosevear walked FOX31 through what’s not seen in the video. Rosevear said he had the back of his truck unlocked because he was coming in and out of it — meaning it only took a matter of minutes for the woman to take off with the tools.

“She took drills, saws — you name it, she took it. Probably 10 batteries, and just the batteries alone are about $100 a piece.” Rosevear said.

Some $3,400 worth of his property was taken.

“The unfortunate thing there is I do carry insurance, but the deductible is $2,500. So do you put the claim in or not? And it’s something like that where they’re stealing just enough to aggravate you,” Rosevear said.

Police: Theft in Wheat Ridge rose 13% last year

Wheat Ridge police say theft is on the rise in the city, and they want to crack down on it.

“Theft is our number one reported property crime. From 2022 to 2023, we saw a 13% increase in theft, and that goes from retail theft to pickpocketing to a case like this one,” said Alex Rose, with Wheat Ridge police.

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Rose said the amount stolen in this case qualifies as felony theft because it surpassed the $2,000 threshold.

The 4Runner used in the crime did not have a tag, but the homeowner described the suspect as a white, 5-foot-4 female wearing a black puffer jacket and a white bandana over her face.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Wheat Ridge’s investigator on the case at 303-235-2987.

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