East Colorado Springs business complex hit with a series of crimes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- After multiple businesses were vandalized, owners are raising the alarm about an increase in crime at a business park in East Colorado Springs.

Ranch Foods Direct, a butcher shop, nearly lost its entire supply of meat last week, when a person cut and stole the copper piping to the company’s refrigeration system, shutting off its power.

“They might have got $500 worth of copper, but we risked losing $1,000,000 worth of inventory and damages,” said Mike Callicrate, the owner of Ranch Foods Direct.

This wasn’t the company’s first run-in with crime since opening the location on Town Circle Drive six years ago. In October, surveillance video from a neighboring business captured a truck entering the property in the middle of the night, then taking off as an employee’s car was engulfed in flames.

“Our problem as far as vandalism is getting worse,” Callicrate said. “I mean, we've never had a car torched before we moved here.”

A crime map of Colorado Springs for burglaries, theft and vandalism in the last three years shows hotspots across town. The most severe locations are downtown, where there is a large concentration of people and businesses. But a minor hotspot is in East Colorado Springs, south of Platte Avenue — the location of the Town Circle business park.

13 Investigates walked through the complex Tuesday and spoke with at least five other business owners about crimes affecting their business in the last two years, including stolen vehicles and equipment and vandalism to property.

“Does the community want small business? If we want small business, how do we better protect these businesses from vandalism and from being attacked?” Callicrate said.

Ron Garcia, the owner of Solar Design Colorado, said a trailer parked in front of his store was stolen overnight about two years ago. Then last week, he said at least eight other businesses had their air conditioning units stolen — the second time in the last year. Surveillance video caught a man on a bike cutting the copper wiring from behind an AC unit in that crime spree.

The Colorado Springs Police Department told 13 Investigates copper thefts are a crime of opportunity.

“There's signs out there that say cameras, but it doesn't stop anybody from coming around,” Garcia said,

The owners point to the growing homeless camp down the road as the reason for increased crime.

“I just think our problem grows worse with the homeless problem and all of the economic problems in our community,” Callicrate said.

The crimes have been reported to CSPD, but despite the surveillance video, the agency said it doesn’t have enough evidence to prosecute the crimes and they remain an open investigation.

Callicrate thinks otherwise. He said businesses in the complex have provided tons of video surveillance of crimes and questions the efforts of the police department.

“I think the community needs to know that we don't have a great response to small businesses, especially in this city,” Callicrate said of the Colorado Springs Police Department. “We need help.”