The burglary suspect who was arrested after calling an Uber to flee the crime scene has not been identified by name as of this publication.
However, the incident occurred in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, on December 29, 2023, when the suspect stole tools from Blue Sky Plumbing and attempted to use an Uber as his getaway car.
The Uber driver was waiting in the area, and the suspect provided a fake name when intercepted by the police. The suspect was found with a backpack containing more than $8,600 worth of tools, and fingerprint scanners confirmed his real identity.
Police body camera footage shared to social media on December 29 by the Wheat Ridge Police Department shows the bust. Police said the alleged crimes and subsequent arrest occurred the day prior at a business in the city of Wheat Ridge, Colorado, which is less than 10 miles from Denver.
The police department did not release the suspect’s name or any additional details about the person’s identity.
When Crimefocus reached out to the Wheat Ridge Police Department via email on Tuesday night for comment and an update on the case.
In a post sharing the footage to both Facebook and X, formerly Twitter, the Wheat Ridge Police Department said they wouldn’t recommend using a rideshare service as a getaway vehicle.
“It may not be the best idea to have an Uber pick you up AT the crime scene,” Wheat Ridge police posted on Facebook.
Police were called to a reported burglary at Blue Sky Plumbing in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, according to the department’s statement on social media last week. The person who called 911 said they saw a hole in the business’s fence and had surveillance footage of a man stealing tools.
When Wheat Ridge officers arrived at the scene, they contacted an Uber driver “who was waiting in the area,” according to the statement. The driver told the officers that he was there to give a ride to a man named “Jose” who was at Blue Sky Plumbing and currently walking to the vehicle.
“Wheat Ridge Police Officers intercepted the man, who provided a fake name and were able to find a backpack with more than $8,600 worth of Milwaukee brand tools,” the department said in the statement. “The suspect was taken back to the police department, where fingerprint scanners confirmed his real identity.”
The body camera footage shows the man denying that he was waiting for a ride after being asked if he was “looking for an Uber.”
“Uh, no,” the suspect said in the clip before putting his hands in his pockets.
As he appears to try and leave, police order him to stop. Once the man is in custody, officers inform him he matches the description of a suspect. The man tells officers that he does not have identification and that he is on his way to his mother’s house.
The suspect faces a felony theft charge and six misdemeanor charges
