Following a lengthy investigation, 13 people have been indicted on more than 100 counts of motor vehicle thefts and burglaries that occurred at Denver International Airport and throughout the Denver metro area.

“Thieves continue to steal cars at alarming rates in Colorado, but particularly at Denver International Airport and the lots that surround it,” District Attorney Brian Mason said in a Monday news release from the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office

Back in July, an airport spokesperson said DIA had seen a 28% increase in car thefts during the first half of 2023, forcing airport officials to announce several new safety measures.

The 13 indicted individuals allegedly stole 59 vehicles from various locations, including DIA, between February 2022 and March 2023, according to Monday’s release.

The 121-count indictment includes varying charges such as COCCA, burglary, aggravated motor vehicle theft, and theft, the release stated.

Some of the stolen vehicles were used to smash through the fronts of businesses in attempted burglaries, the release stated. The suspects would allegedly place straps around ATMs inside the stores and use the cars to pull the machines from the buildings.

According to data from the investigation, Ford F-150 Raptors were the preferred vehicles, but Cherokees, Dodge Challengers, and Dodge Chargers were also stolen and used.

Investigators from the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the CATPA Metropolitan Auto Theft Task Force, who followed the group for more than a year, said the suspects used sophisticated tools to reprogram key fobs and disable the cars’ GPS tracking systems.

These alleged offenses occurred in multiple jurisdictions including Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, Jefferson and Logan Counties. In total 59 vehicles were stolen, and 31 burglaries were attempted.

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