CLEAR CREEK COUNTY, Colo. — Highway 103 is shut down in Clear Creek County, and a shelter-in-place has been issued for nearby residents as law enforcement searches for a suspect believed to be associated with several trespassing incidents.
In a social media post Thursday evening, the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office said it has received three reports this week of a suspicious person trespassing on private properties in the area of Highway 103. Surveillance cameras captured the suspect wearing a black mask and carrying a firearm.
At one property, the man reportedly told the property owner via camera surveillance that he was with the US Forest Service before disconnecting the camera.
According to the sheriff's office, the man is accused of trespassing on two properties on Peaceful Valley Lane in Idaho Springs between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday. He allegedly stole more than $2,000 worth of items from one of the properties and caused roughly $2,000 worth of damage.
Between 9:20 a.m. and 10:10 a.m. Thursday, the man reportedly trespassed on a property on Ute Creek Road in Idaho Springs. The sheriff's office said he was seen loading and cocking a firearm.
The suspect is associated with a white Ford Escape SUV that does not have license plates.
In an update, the sheriff's office said the suspect vehicle was spotted stopped along Highway 103 just after 6 p.m. Law enforcement responded to set up a perimeter, but the suspect drove off.
After a "short pursuit," the vehicle crashed near mile marker 3, according to the sheriff's office. The suspect got out of the vehicle and ran away.
Deputies are searching the area for the driver. Highway 103 is shut down, and a shelter-in-place order has been issued for a 1-mile radius near the crash.
The Idaho Springs Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and Golden Police Department are assisting with the search. Law enforcement is also using a drone and two K9s.
Though it has not been confirmed, the sheriff's office said it is "working on the assumption [that] this is the same suspect" from the trespassing incidents and that he may be armed.
The man is described as a Black man with a slim build and nearly six feet tall. During the incidents, he was wearing tactical colors (green and black) and a tactical belt.
In an update at 11:30 p.m., the sheriff's office said the suspect is still at large after the K9s lost his scent at the creek.
"A lot of ground has been covered with the search, including multiple homes being cleared," the sheriff's office wrote. "Deputies will continue to search and patrol the area, including the town of Idaho Springs."
The sheriff's office is asking anyone who sees the suspect to call 911 and not approach him. Nearby residents who may have surveillance footage of the suspect are asked to email it to crime_tips@clearcreeksheriff.us.
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