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Thieves Shoot At Employees While Stealing Three Vehicles From Aurora Dealership

AURORA, Colo (CBS4) -- A group of thieves made off with three vehicles from a dealership late Friday afternoon and left behind shaken employees and bullet holes in the dealership's building, according to the Aurora Police Department.

Fortunately, no employees were struck by gunfire, APD's Crystal McCoy told CBS4.

One of the stolen vehicles, a black 2017 Nissan Titan pickup, is still unaccounted for. McCoy said the two other stolen vehicles have recovered. One was found in Denver.

The incident happened at Ed Bozarth Chevrolet, 2001 South Havana Street, at 6:35 p.m.

Two to three male suspects got out of a white Chevy Malibu and broke out windows in the three vehicles in the Bozarth dealership's lot, McCoy explained. After stealing boxes containing keys from inside the vehicles, they then left.

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Eight minutes later, as the dealership's employees realized a crime had occurred, the Malibu returned. One suspect jumped into the Nissan Titan and drove off. The Malibu's driver also left.

Then a silver Jeep Cherokee pulled into the lot. Three Hispanic males emerged from it, McCoy said. One pointed his firearm at dealership employees and fired at them. No one was injured.

Those suspects stole a white Chevrolet Tahoe and a black Chevrolet Silverado.

The Silverado crashed in Denver near the 1000 block of East 3rd Avenue. A suspect was taken into custody there, McCoy said.

The Tahoe was later recovered.

The Titan was last seen near 32nd Avenue and Chambers Road, McCoy added. She said there was evidence the truck's GPS system was being tampered with. The truck left the dealership lot without a license plate.

Investigators are still compiling descriptions of the suspects, McCoy said. Investigators are not yet releasing the name of the suspect caught at the Denver crash scene.

"This is a very complex scene and we are continuing to investigate," McCoy said.

Investigators are looking into a report that a hispanic male driver of a white Malibu shot at a man in the parking lot of 10400 East Evans Avenue, a short distance from the dealership. This happened about eight minutes before the incident at the dealership. That man was not injured and the incident appears random, McCoy said, but investigators are examining possible connections between the two.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Aurora PD at (303) 627-3100.

 

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