Home Invasion Victim Runs For Safety During Bizarre Crime Spree
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – A man was rushed to a hospital Saturday after he consumed a large amount of stolen prescription drugs in Jefferson County.
Law enforcement say he was the sole perpetrator in a crime spree in Lakewood and Jefferson County.
A spokesperson for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office says the suspect was to blame for a carjacking, kidnapping, two armed robberies and a home invasion.
Law enforcement said the spree started early Saturday morning in Lakewood, when the suspect carjacked and kidnapped a 27-year-old man.
"Honestly, it's terrifying," said Brooke Edwards, a neighbor of the victim.
Sheriff's investigators said the suspect took the car's owner with him, when he stole the vehicle.
"(The victim) told the suspect, 'if you just let me off at work, you can have my car.' And, the suspect said 'sure,'" said Mark Techmeyer, a sheriff's office spokesperson.
Officials say the suspect then went on to rob a CVS Pharmacy at gunpoint, stealing medications.
Later, the suspect would rob a local bank, before heading to a neighborhood in Littleton.
Kenny Jones was home, watching television, when he heard his doorbell ring repetitively.
"(My neighbor) was like, 'there is a man with a gun, that just came in our house,'" Jones said. "I was like, you're kidding."
Jones allowed his neighbor to take shelter in his home, while he called 911.
"(Jefferson County deputies), and state troopers, did a great job," Jones said. "(They came) running down the street with guns, and rifles."
Across the street, neighbor Rich Sutton checked his security footage. The motion-activated camera at his home had triggered, and showed the male suspect's identity.
At one point, the suspect peered into Sutton's home, possibly out of curiosity if anyone was home.
"It was pretty scary, to see that face directly in your window," Sutton told CBS4's Dillon Thomas. "He was right there at the door. (He) could have came in, could have busted it open."
When law enforcement located the suspect, he allegedly tried to consume the medications he stole earlier in the day.
He was transported to the hospital, while witnesses saw stolen cash blowing down the neighborhood road.
"They spent an hour trying to find (a gun) here. They were checking the rain gutters, and everybody's backyard, and the bushes," said Steve Burge, a neighbor.
Witnesses who watched the crime spree unfold said they wanted the suspect to pay for what he did, and for the fear he caused in the community.
"Let him go away (to jail) for a long time. That is where he needs to be," Jones said.
Dillon Thomas is a reporter at CBS4 and a Colorado native. He believes everyone has a story, and would love to share yours! You can find more of his stories by following him on Twitter, @DillonMThomas.