Arizona couple out thousands of dollars after theft at Pueblo hotel
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- Ronald and Rochelle Siepkin were staying overnight at the La Quinta hotel on North Elizabeth St in Pueblo on Christmas eve morning. Inside their car was an estimated $15,000 worth of money, clothes and a concealed car handgun with ammo.
"It made me feel like I won't stay in Pueblo again," Ronald Siepkin said. "I had a concealed carry for a glock nine millimeter pistol and there was ammo that was taken."
They were traveling from Iowa to Arizona. Pueblo was the halfway point on their journey home to Scottsdale, Arizona. At about 4 a.m. Friday, an individual staying at the La Quinta hotel reported a white SUV had all four doors open in a parking lot behind the hotel.
As a Pueblo Police officer arrived on scene, the Siepkins realized every belonging they had in their car was gone. Everything, from golf clothes to designer earrings, was stolen from their car.
Pueblo Police are concerned with the concealed carry that was stolen from the vehicle. Many violent crimes in Pueblo are committed with stolen weapons.
"We are really concerned because a firearm could be used to really hurt some other people," Sergeant Frank Ortega said. "Most of the time when we come across firearms they are stolen. Criminals, that's why they break into cars for the most part, is to steal things to sell, and to use guns in furtherance of other crimes."
The Siepkins had to travel the next 12 hours of their journey home with just the clothes on their backs.
"You'll never be able to replace those items. We've been shopping for the last two days. I mean because we arrived in Scottsdale with what we were wearing on the road and absolutely everything has to be replaced," Rochelle Siepkin said.
Pueblo Police told KRDO they do have any suspects or leads on the thefts. A manager at the La Quinta hotel said they do not currently have security cameras on the property or in-person security that monitors the premises.
"There are some hotels that have enhanced measures to ensure the safety and security of the people staying at those hotels and there are some that are lacking," Ortega said.
For the Siepkins, the theft ruined part of their Christmas. Not just because of the monetary value of the items stolen, but the meaning behind them as well.
"Somebody ended up with a lot of nice stuff because we had Christmas presents for my sister and her husband. We had present for each other, and you know there were clothes that still had the tags on them," Rochelle Seipkin said.
