January 25, 2023
Kent Keller, PIO
Greeley Police Department
(970) 351-5387, Desk
Kent.Keller@greeleypd.com
GREELEY, Colo. – Continuing in January 2023, the CATPA (Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority) will provide additional funding to BATTLE (Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement) North members to assist in their efforts of reducing motor vehicle theft within the City of Greeley and surrounding areas. The additional funding will be used for 6-months, with the goal to put an increased, and constant, focus on the individuals and groups responsible for the majority of vehicle thefts and the related crimes where these vehicles are used. Four operations have already taken place, which resulted in the recovery of numerous stolen vehicles and the arrests of several suspects on felony charges.
On January 6, 2023, BATTLE members from Colorado State Patrol and the Greeley Police Department took part in the first operation of 2023. The multi-agency operation resulted in the recovery of three stolen vehicles. The estimated recovery value is $30,000.
On January 13, 2023, BATTLE members from the Colorado State Patrol, Loveland Police Department, Boulder Police Department, Evans Police Department, Fort Collins Police
Services, Weld County Sheriff’s Department, and the Greeley Police Department convened for the second operation of 2023 in as many weeks. The multi-agency operation resulted in the recovery of eight stolen vehicles, one stolen enclosed trailer, two stolen ATV’s, and two arrests. The estimated value of the recovered stolen vehicles is $108,000. One suspect was arrested for motor vehicle theft related charges and another person was taken into custody for seven outstanding arrest warrants.
William Medrano-Alvarez, 29
– Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (x3)
– Criminal Possession of a Financial Device
– Theft
Mary Garcia, 27 (all arrest warrants)
– Violation of Parole
– Murder in the 1st Degree & Conspiracy to Commit Murder in the 1st Degree
– Aggravated Robbery, Felony Menacing, & Theft
– Eluding a Police Officer, Obstructing a Police Officer, Aggravated Robbery and Felony Menacing
– 1st Degree Burglary (x2), Felony Menacing, and Theft
– 1st Degree Criminal Trespass, Aggravated Robbery, and Theft
– Failure to Appear (FTA)
Another operation on Monday, January 16, 2023, included BATTLE North members from the Colorado State Patrol, Loveland Police Department, Longmont Police Department, Weld County Sheriff’s Department, and the Greeley Police Department. This was another successful operation in which four stolen motor vehicles were recovered with a combined value of $84,475. Two suspects were arrested and charged with motor vehicle theft related charges and two additional persons were taken into custody on outstanding arrest warrants.
Alan Moncerrat Caballero, 21
– Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft
– Department of Correction (DOC) Escape Warrant
Carlos Filbert Chavez, 45
– Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft
– Aggravated Habitual Traffic Offender
Nevaeh Lee Lopez, 18
– Possession of a Financial Device
– Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
– Resisting Arrest
On Monday January 23, 2023, BATTLE North members from Colorado State Patrol, Boulder Police Department, Loveland Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Erie Police Department and the Greeley Police Department completed their final January operation.
This operation resulted in the recovery of two stolen vehicles in North Greeley with a recovered value of $21,000. Two subjects were also arrested during the operation.
Nariah Clapham, 20
– Failure to Appear (x2)
Additionally, information was obtained during the operation regarding a wanted fugitive out of Greeley. With the assistance of the Parole Fugitive Apprehension Team and CMATT (Colorado Metropolitan Auto Theft Team), the fugitive, later identified as Gilbert Montelongo, was located at a residence in Denver. A search warrant was obtained for that residence and executed by the Denver Metro SWAT Team. The suspect was taken into custody and booked on his multiple warrants.
Gilbert Montelongo, 36
– 2nd Degree Burglary (x5), Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (x5), Criminal Mischief (x8), & Possession of a Financial Device
– Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft & Criminal Mischief
In 2022, BATTLE North members arrested 110 suspected car thieves and directly recovered 123 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of approximately $1.4 million. One of these cases was a COCCA (Colorado Organized Crime Control Act) case based in Greeley. That case resulted in the arrests of 11 suspects and 58 recovered stolen vehicles alone. While BATTLE North is extremely proud of the work they completed in 2022, they aim to increase their enforcement efforts to hopefully decrease auto theft in the Greeley area for 2023.