Juvenile arrested after car rams into front of store in El Paso County during string of overnight burglaries

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- A juvenile has been arrested after multiple businesses were allegedly burglarized earlier Monday morning.

According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO), officials received a call about a burglary in progress in the 6800 block of Space Village Avenue in unincorporated El Paso County. EPSO deputies responded, and officials got more information, saying the suspect was breaking windows at other businesses and had gone inside.

EPSO says there were also reported gunshots, and the suspect had tried to drive a BMW SUV through the walls of one of the businesses.

Reese Sattler, the owner/operator of Rocky Bull Bistro, says he got a call at 5 a.m. from the owner of a neighboring business after the front of his shop was struck.

"They were doing this intentionally to get something out of the vape shop next to us," Sattler said.

He says security footage showed the suspect shoot out a security camera and fail to get into the shop, before getting in his car and ramming into the bistro. Now, he's keeping a positive attitude while getting the shop ready to reopen.

"We don't want to put more people at risk," Sattler said. "I don't want to put my own employees or myself at risk, let alone customers that are coming in trying to support."

Officials say when deputies arrived on the initial scene, they found shell casings outside one of the businesses. They had also received reports of similar burglary calls in the 950 block of North Powers Boulevard. EPSO says they found similar shell casings there.

Around 6:30 a.m., EPSO says deputies were sent to an incident near the 6800 block of Skuna Drive in the Lorson Ranch area where a BMW SUV had significant damage, and the driver was wearing a ski mask. Deputies located the car and evidence they thought was related to the burglaries in the front seat.

Deputies contained the area and started asking anyone inside the residence to leave. That is when an adult female and minor, and a juvenile male left the house. Deputies detained the male and he was taken into custody, according to EPSO.

Inside the residence and car, EPSO officials say they found evidence that matched the reported burglaries and determined the BMW had been stolen.

The juvenile is now being charged with:

• First-degree burglary
• Motor vehicle theft
• Prohibited use of a firearm
• Illegal discharge of a firearm
• Theft
• Criminal mischief
• Reckless endangerment

EPSO says detectives are now investigating, and the case remains open.

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