Man arrested after being linked to chain of early-morning car thefts in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Springs police say a man is in custody after admitting to stealing two vehicles early Tuesday morning – though police believe he is connected to even more thefts and break-ins reported within the same two-hour window.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), the first call came in at 5:30 a.m. on Nov. 18, reporting a car theft on the 1200 block of Cancun Court in southeast Colorado Springs. The resident reported their vehicle had been stolen after they left it running to warm up.

At 7:05 a.m., another resident in the 100 block of South Chelton Road contacted police after spotting what they believed was an abandoned stolen vehicle left in a parking lot. Officers confirmed it was the same car reported stolen earlier that morning.

But CSPD said the calls didn’t stop there. Between 7:20 and 9 a.m., multiple calls flooded CSPD’s communications center, reporting other vehicle thefts and break-ins across the same southeast neighborhood.

Police say at 7:21 a.m., a resident called them from 1000 South Chelton Road with a similar story to the first victim, saying their car was stolen after they had left it running.

At 7:42 a.m., another reporting party contacted police to report that a car in the 3300 block of Afternoon Circle had been found with broken windows.

Just three minutes later, an officer was checking the area of 1100 Cancun Court, near the area of the first reported car theft, when they located the vehicle that had been stolen off Chelton Road.

CSPD says an officer saw a man exiting the vehicle, who was detained after a short struggle. That man was identified as 26-year-old Kyle Sandoval.

Following the suspect being taken into custody, police say they received yet another call. This one came from the 1100 block of South Chelton Road, where the caller reported that someone had broken into their vehicle and attempted to steal it.

Police say after taking Sandoval into custody, he admitted to stealing two of the vehicles.

According to CSPD, Sandoval was already on probation for motor vehicle theft. Officers are now working to link him to the other vehicle break-ins in the neighborhood.

The department has previously reminded drivers not to leave their vehicles running unattended – even for just a few minutes to warm it up – as “puffer” thefts continue to be a recurring problem during cold mornings in Colorado Springs.

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