A Colorado grand jury indicted eleven suspects in a widespread motor vehicle theft ring that targeted vehicles parked at small municipal airports along the Front Range between July 2024 and January 2025, according to a joint press release issued by Attorney General Phil Weiser and Denver District Attorney John Walsh yesterday.

The members of the alleged criminal enterprise worked together to steal vehicles from municipal airport parking lots, surrounding hotels, and sometimes from businesses and residential areas in Adams, Boulder, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson, Larimer, and Weld counties, according to the unsealed indictment.

Most of the stolen vehicles were full-sized pickup trucks, trailers, and recreational utility terrain vehicles.

The stolen vehicles and trailers were used to commit other crimes and avoided detection by law enforcement and license plate readers searching for stolen vehicles on the road because the vehicles were not reported stolen until the victims returned home days after the thefts, law enforcement officials stated.

Once a stolen vehicle was acquired, the suspects allegedly switched license plates with plates stolen from other vehicles, altered the VIN tag on the windshield, or affixed a fake temporary Colorado license plate.

Many of the stolen vehicles were allegedly driven to or hauled on a trailer to Mexico and sold to cartels, according to the indictment.

The value of the 41 stolen vehicles, stolen property, and property damage carried out by the criminal motor vehicle theft ring exceeds $900,000.

“I am grateful to DA Walsh and other law enforcement partners who helped take down this latest motor vehicle theft crime ring that harmed many victims and communities along the Front Range. While we have made great progress in reducing vehicle theft around the state, we have more work to do. We’ll work to ensure that we deliver justice for the victims of this alleged organized crime spree,” said Attorney General Weiser.

Eleven defendants face various charges, including racketeering and conspiracy under Colorado’s Organized Crime Control Act, second-degree motor vehicle theft, attempted motor vehicle theft, theft, and forgery, in addition to other charges.

The cases are filed in Jefferson County District Court and will be prosecuted by the attorney general’s office and the Denver District Attorney’s Office in partnership with the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.