Migrant gangs in Colorado have utilized children aged 12 to 17 to carry out a series of robberies at eight gun stores. However, the proactive measures implemented by shop owners have thwarted some of the attacks.
In the most recent incidents in Colorado Springs, the young perpetrators stole cars and used them to ram into the gun store buildings in an attempt to gain access to the firearms on display.
During one such incident on August 8, the thieves successfully absconded with 13 guns and caused nearly $65,000 worth of damage after crashing a stolen car into the store.
“They rammed through the wall, climbed over the hood of the car and ran in the store,” Steven Kinder, the general manager at Spartan Defense and Training, told KDVR-TV.
Between July and August, a series of smash-and-grab incidents targeted four gun stores in and around the extended Denver area. In each case where suspects were apprehended, they turned out to be minors.
At Spartan Defense and Training, the perpetrators stole AK-47s, Glock pistols, and ammunition. This was just the first of multiple robberies committed by the same group that night.
They attempted to break into DCF Guns in Colorado Springs using a stolen car, but were thwarted by a double entrance door system installed by the owners.
This method of targeting gun stores has been utilized in at least eight robbery attempts in the area this year. Fortunately, store owners have taken steps to mitigate these incidents by securing their firearms in large gun safes each night.
This proactive measure has significantly reduced the number of stolen guns. A troubling trend is that many of the culprits are minors, posing a concerning challenge for law enforcement.
“From what the police have told us so far, they’ve apprehended several of the individuals and the majority of them are under age 13 or 14 years old. One who was 18 years old was the one that basically ran from them, it looks to be gang-related at this point in time,” said Spartan owner Ted Collins.
The migrant gangs are recruiting these kids because they know the legal system is geared to give them only a few months in juvenile detention if caught and then, when they become 18, that juvenile record is expunged.
“They know that they can’t get the book thrown at them as hard as an adult can after 18 if it’s not that bad of a crime, they’re scot-free and able to basically re-up on their resume to do whatever they want for the gang,” added DCF associate Devin Perkins
The issue has escalated dramatically under President Biden’s administration as the border crisis continues to worsen. This problem is further exacerbated by the sanctuary policies of Denver officials, which have attracted migrant gangs to the area.
In addition, another Colorado Springs gun shop was targeted on August 24, employing a similar method of using stolen cars to break into the store. Although police did not provide detailed information, it was reported that several guns were stolen.
KKTV reported that there have been nearly 30 incidents this year in the area where minors used cars to crash into businesses and steal merchandise.
“Every year it gets worse and worse. They’re putting small businesses out of business, basically. It’s hard to recover from big damages like this if you don’t have insurance,” said Timothy Arthur, owner of the Let’s Make a Deal Pawn and Gun shop which also suffered a smash-and-grab on Colorado Springs last month, KDRO-TV reported.
Arthur stated that as one of the shop owners, he is responsible for removing guns from the shelves and locking them up each night. Therefore, he confirmed that no firearms were lost during the robbery.
