December 14, 2022
Kent Keller, PIO
Greeley Police Department
(970) 351-5387, Desk
[email protected]
GREELEY, Colo. – On Friday, December 2, 2022, members of the BATTLE (Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement) North team conducted their 40th operation this year. Specifically, members from the Greeley Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, and Fort Collins Police Services.
BATTLE North is a multi-agency team of investigators tasked with combating auto theft, arresting auto thieves, and recovering stolen vehicles. BATTLE North is funded by CATPA (Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority) and currently has eighteen Northern Colorado law enforcement agencies participating. CATPA also funds three other teams in Colorado including BATTLE South, BATTLE West, and BATTLE East.
The operation conducted last Friday by BATTLE North resulted in the arrests of 3 suspected auto thieves and the recovery of 5 stolen vehicles. This operation, along their thirty-nine other operations this year, have collectively resulted in the arrests of 13 suspected car thieves and the recovery of 67 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of approximately $701,000.
So far in 2022, BATTLE North investigations (including the operations) have resulted in a total of 110 arrests and the recovery of 123 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of approximately $1.4 million. One of these was a COCCA (Colorado Organized Crime Control Act) case based in Greeley that resulted in 11 arrests and 58 recovered stolen vehicles alone.
Sergeant Zach Murray of the Colorado State Patrol said, “These officers combat auto theft every day in their communities in addition to serving on the BATTLE Team. But we need all the help we can get, especially in the winter. Please ensure your vehicle is as secure as possible, report suspicious actions/vehicles in neighborhoods, close and lock all garage doors, and don’t leave your vehicle unattended while it is running. Any effort helps and is greatly appreciated. If we all work together, we can continue working toward reducing auto thefts and undoubtably make our communities safer. That is our ultimate goal.”
No additional information will be released today. Anyone with information about these cases is asked to please contact the Colorado State Patrol BATTLE North Sergeant Zach Murray at 970-224-3027.