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(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has taken two people into custody after they allegedly avoided police for two weeks in a stolen truck.
On Thursday night, Aug. 14, around 8:30 p.m., the CSPD Motor Vehicle Theft Unit investigated a stolen 1999 Ford F-250 truck near the intersection of North Academy Boulevard and Platte Avenue. According to CSPD, this came after the truck evaded officers multiple times over the previous two weeks.
Once surveillance on the truck was underway, investigators identified the driver as 31-year-old Gabriel Bales and his passenger as 41-year-old Carrie Schaefer. Investigating officers caught Bales and Schaefer spray painting and removing stickers from the stolen Ford.
According to CSPD, when detectives discovered Bales was already on parole for Motor Vehicle Theft (MVT), an arrest warrant was issued for violating his parole conditions. Inside the stolen truck, police also found felony-level drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl.
CSPD arrested both Bales and Schaefer on charges of MVT, and both were transported to the El Paso County Criminal Justice Center. “During the interviews, investigators learned Bales is responsible for more stolen vehicles which is leading to further follow-up,” wrote police.
