63-Year-Old Bennett Man Accused of Tying Up Aurora Homeowner, Stealing Guns

An armed home invasion on Ouray Street in Aurora ended with the arrest of a 63-year-old Bennett man accused of binding a victim's wrists and making off with several firearms and other valuables. Aurora police say officers responded to the 900 block of Ouray Street just before 1 p.m. on Saturday after a resident reported that an armed man had forced his way into the home.

According to the Aurora Police Dept, officers were dispatched at 12:50 p.m. on August 22 to investigate the reported armed home invasion robbery. The victim told officers that a male suspect armed with a handgun entered the residence, ordered him to lie down, and bound his wrists behind his back before taking off with several valuables, reportedly including firearms.

Police Trace Suspect to Bennett Home

Investigators identified John Cutlip, 63, as a person of interest and made contact with him near his home in the 300 block of East Colfax Avenue in Bennett, according to police. That address places Cutlip roughly 15 to 20 miles east of eastern Aurora along Interstate 70, in the statutory town of Bennett, which straddles Adams and Arapahoe counties about 30 miles east of Denver, per the Torrington Telegram. How investigators zeroed in on Cutlip's Bennett residence has not been detailed in the police account.

Cutlip was arrested in connection with the home invasion robbery and booked into the Aurora Municipal Detention Center, which serves as the city's primary holding facility for municipal bookings and local arrests. He now faces charges of aggravated robbery, first-degree burglary, and menacing, the department said. It remains unclear from the available police account whether any of the stolen firearms were recovered at the time of his arrest.

What the Charges Could Mean

The charges carry significant weight under Colorado law. First-degree burglary is a Class 3 felony under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-4-202 when committed while armed with a deadly weapon or while threatening its use, carrying a statutory penalty of 4 to 12 years in state prison and fines up to $750,000, according to Justia Law.

Aggravated robbery involving a deadly weapon is likewise a Class 3 felony, but one designated an extraordinary risk crime of violence under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-4-302, with potential prison sentences ranging from 4 to 32 years, per FindLaw. Felony menacing, the third charge Cutlip faces, is a Class 5 felony under Colorado Revised Statutes § 18-3-206 when committed with a real or simulated firearm, punishable by 1 to 3 years in prison and up to two years of mandatory parole.

Case Fits Into a Broader Crime Decline

The Ouray Street incident lands amid a marked drop in property crime across Aurora. City data released in late July showed violent crime down 9% and property crime down 11% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, with burglaries falling 24% and robberies dropping 2.5%, according to the City of Aurora. Over the longer stretch from 2024 through mid-2026, total crime in the city fell 25%, with burglaries down 37% and robberies down 33%, per the same city report.

Armed home invasions have nonetheless punctuated that broader decline. In February, Aurora police responded to a separate armed break-in on South Memphis Way where a suspect wearing rifle armor kicked in a door and led officers on a vehicle chase before being caught, as Hoodline previously reported. And in March, a 24-year-old Denver man was sentenced to 75 years in prison after his conviction on 11 felony counts stemming from an armed home invasion inside an Aurora apartment, a case prosecutors said had shattered a family's sense of security.

Investigation Remains Active

Aurora police describe the investigation as active and ongoing and are asking anyone with information to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest and charging of a suspect, according to Metro Denver Crime Stoppers. Residents can also reach the department's non-emergency line at 303.627.3100, or call 9-1-1 in an emergency.