What started as a quick coffee stop in Jefferson County ended with a suspect in custody on Wednesday, after deputies say a man took off in a still-running vehicle and wound up hiding in a shed behind a home. Authorities identified the suspect as 35-year-old Fidel Garfio and said he surrendered only after contact with a K-9 unit. Deputies recovered the stolen vehicle and reported that belongings and two firearms had been taken from inside. The sheriff's office later shared video of the arrest.
In a Facebook reel posted Wednesday night, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said deputies used the victim's tracking device along with phone data and drone technology to zero in on the vehicle, with Lakewood police assisting in the search. According to the post, deputies surrounded the shed and gave Garfio several commands to surrender before deploying K-9 Ultimo. The dog, which the office says typically apprehends suspects through barking, bit Garfio during the encounter, after which he surrendered. The sheriff's office said Garfio is being held on a $20,000 cash-only bond and faces five felony counts, including motor-vehicle theft and possession of a weapon by a previous offender, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Charges and court date
Court records list a return-filing hearing for case number 2026CR903 in Jefferson County District Court, with the appearance set for Friday. That docket entry indicates prosecutors have moved to formalize charges and labels the setting as a "Return Filing of Charges" appearance for Garfio, per the Colorado Judicial Branch.
How deputies tracked him down
Deputies say they followed signals from the vehicle's tracking device into a residential area, then relied on phone information and drone footage to narrow the search before surrounding the shed where Garfio was hiding. Lakewood officers joined the operation, and K-9 Ultimo was deployed to help clear the hideout. The sheriff's office said the dog generally relies on barking to prompt compliance, but bit Garfio during the incident. Officers recovered the stolen vehicle at the scene and seized the items that had been reported missing, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
A local pattern of auto thefts
The arrest comes as Jefferson County deputies and local outlets have been warning residents about a run of burglaries and car break-ins that have included thefts of firearms from unlocked vehicles. Recent reporting describes similar activity in Barnhart and nearby neighborhoods, prompting officials to urge drivers to lock their cars and secure weapons and valuables. That earlier Hoodline coverage also highlights how tracking technology and coordinated K-9 deployments can speed up recoveries and arrests, see Barnhart Thieves Hit Unlocked Cars for local context.
Legal proceedings
Local authorities say Garfio faces five felony counts, including alleged theft over $20,000, motor-vehicle theft, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender, and the sheriff's post notes he was also wanted in two other counties on serious domestic-violence allegations. Those allegations are expected to be addressed in upcoming court proceedings following the return-filing hearing. Court listings show the matter under case 2026CR903 in Jefferson County; see the Colorado Judicial Branch for the docket entry.
