As Colorado county sees a sharp rise in car thefts, police announce arrest of 11 people, recovery of 17 stolen vehicles

A total of 17 stolen vehicles and two weapons have been recovered in Douglas County this summer and 11 people who are believed to be responsible for some or all of the crimes have been arrested.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says their police actions come in the midst of a "significant increase in auto thefts and garage burglaries" in the county located in the southern part of the Denver metro area. They issued a warning to residents to be sure to lock their car doors and doors to their residences.

The sheriff's office says there were 33 auto thefts reported last month in Douglas County. They also said that a suspect was recently captured on camera in Douglas County neighborhood carrying a gun while trying to break into cars.

A stolen vehicle was also recovered in the county and it is linked to a violent armed carjacking.

Investigators are looking into connections between the theft cases as well as "any potential links to organized crime."

Among the 11 people arrested are four juveniles, one Florida resident, three Venezuelan nationals and one Columbian national. Several of the group are adults from the Denver metro area. The names and ages of all of the suspects, except for the juveniles, can be seen in a social media post by the sheriff's office.