Colorado man steals a car and decides to ditch it minutes later but forgot to leave the keys
A car thief in Mesa County, Colorado, didn’t get very far. On the evening of May 7, a report of a stolen vehicle set law enforcement into motion. Just 45 minutes later, the suspect sat in custody. He’d run off with evidence still on him: the key fob.
It started around 7:20 p.m. when someone reported a car stolen from the 3100 block of Mesa Avenue in Grand Junction. The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office responded right away.
Within 16 minutes, deputies found the car ditched near the 3200 block of Sagewood Court
The vehicle may have been abandoned quickly, but the suspect wasn’t off the radar for long, either. At around 8:05 p.m., deputies located 29-year-old Roberto Monarrez of Clifton. KJCT News shared that the Sheriff’s Office determined he still had the keys to the stolen car in his possession.
Monarrez was booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility. He now faces charges including motor vehicle theft, drug possession, and criminal trespass with intent to commit a crime. Officials say additional charges are likely.
Vehicle theft has been a rising concern across Colorado, especially on the Western Slope
The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority reported over 42,000 vehicles stolen statewide in 2023, with a noticeable uptick in smaller communities. Mesa County, while not topping the charts, has seen a steady increase year-over-year.
Law enforcement agencies have responded with more real-time coordination and tech-driven strategies. This includes the use of drones. The 45-minute pursuit above shows how quickly things can move when residents report a stolen car promptly and deputies act fast.
Still, this case coincides with other Americans expressing frustration over a lack of police response to vehicle theft and recovery
Last week, I shared a story wherein a woman in Kansas called authorities for assistance after she located her own stolen Ford Explorer. She waited for hours, keys in hand. The cops never showed, citing higher priority calls. She decided to go ahead and take the SUV without help from the local police department. She did so after the dispatcher warned her against driving her own car home, citing that she could get into trouble for “operating a stolen car.”
In any case, vehicle thefts are always a reminder for owners to stay vigilant. Keep car keys out of sight, avoid leaving vehicles running unattended, and make sure to lock up even during short stops.
