Two retail theft suspects who bolted from a Highlands Ranch Target ended up scattering across a highway shoulder, a jackknifed camper trailer, and an open field last Saturday before deputies ran them both down. One man tried to sprint into a nearby field before being caught, while the other took off toward Lone Tree and hid in heavy brush before giving himself up. Both now face lengthy lists of charges, including vehicular eluding, obstructing a peace officer and theft.
According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a theft call at the Target on Sgt. John Stiles Drive and tracked the pair as they climbed into a white truck towing a camper trailer and merged onto eastbound C-470. The truck jackknifed at the Yosemite Street exit ramp, damaging only the suspects' own vehicle and no others. As the driver bailed out and tried to run, a deputy is heard on video telling him, "Don't run, brother" - the driver stopped near Yosemite Street and was caught by deputies in a nearby field.
Second Suspect Hides in Brush Near Lone Tree
The second suspect took off on foot toward Lone Tree and hid in heavy brush before surrendering to deputies. The Lone Tree Police Department helped locate him, reflecting how the two agencies routinely team up along the C-470 corridor for high-speed stops, foot chases and perimeter searches, according to a Lone Tree criminal defense firm. Lone Tree Police maintain primary jurisdiction over the Park Meadows retail corridor directly adjacent to that exit, the firm notes.
The driver later apologized to deputies and asked what he was supposed to have done differently, the sheriff's office said. Both men were eventually taken into custody, and officials stressed that everyone arrested is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Charges Stack Up Against Both Suspects
The driver faces careless driving, reckless driving, vehicular eluding, obstructing a peace officer, false reporting, driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle, fugitive of justice, and possession of drug paraphernalia, per the sheriff's office. The second suspect faces theft, obstructing a peace officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Credits Retailers Under New Reporting Rule
Sheriff Darren Weekly thanked retailers for promptly reporting theft, saying deputies will find and arrest people who steal from local businesses. That gratitude lands against the backdrop of a rule Douglas County commissioners passed in February requiring businesses to report suspected shoplifting to law enforcement within 96 hours or face possible court citations and fines, according to the Denver Gazette. County officials introduced the mandate to eliminate corporate
