In a pursuit that can only be described as dogged, a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Detective brought a lengthy theft investigation to a close, resulting in a significant prison sentence for the perpetrator behind the theft of two gold bars. According to Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the crime occurred on July 8, 2023, when Sagar Patel, then 26, absconded with two 1-kilo gold bars.
Having been provided with a vehicle description and license plate number by the victim, Detective Eric Oppeau quickly tracked the rental vehicle and took swift action. In his pursuit of leads, subpoenas were issued to the rental company and Detective Oppeau worked with several credit card and telephone companies, gathering data that fortified the connection of the suspect to the crime. Placing the suspect at the scene, using location data from the victim's phone and the rental vehicle's breadcrumb trail, was a turning point in the investigation. Patel was seen, caught on surveillance, blending into the stream of faces at various key locations, including Denver International Airport and a marijuana dispensary in Littleton.
Det. Oppeau's efforts led to collaboration with a task force based out of Jersey City, NJ, culminating in Patel's arrest on February 1, 2024. Following the arrest, an ICE detainer was promptly issued against Patel due to his Indian nationality.
It was on Friday, that Patel was finally sentenced. He received a six-year prison term for the theft, with the ICE detainer keeping him bound for possible deportation proceedings post-sentence. Sheriff Weekly extolled Oppeau for his determination, stating, “This case exemplifies the dedication and resourcefulness of our Financial Crimes Unit investigators. Detective Oppeau pursued every lead, never losing sight of the victim’s need for justice." Patel, whose home country is India, now awaits the decision on his fate in the United States, under the watchful eyes of ICE, as reported by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
