AURORA, Colo. — A burglary suspect is in custody after police said he stole an Aurora police vehicle and led authorities on a pursuit that ended in a crash at Alameda Avenue and S. Airport Boulevard on Tuesday morning.
Police said the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Brayan Reyes-Bernal, has a lengthy criminal history and is facing additional charges of vehicle theft, vehicular eluding, burglary, and hit-and-run.
The Aurora Police Department (APD) was called around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday to investigate a report of a burglary in a neighborhood off E. Exposition Avenue and S. Peoria Street, APD Deputy Chief Michael Gaskill said during a press briefing.
While officers were investigating that incident, Gaskill said Reyes-Bernal, who may not have been involved in the original burglary report, got into one of APD's patrol vehicles and drove off.
An officer who responded to the potential burglary saw Reyes-Bernal steal the car and called in backup to pursue him.
- Watch the full Aurora police press briefing in the video player below:
Officers chased the suspect across multiple jurisdictions until about 9:15 a.m., according to Gaskill.
The chase ended, and Reyes-Bernal was taken into custody after an APD sergeant intentionally rammed his car into the stolen vehicle.
The two were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital and later released.
There were no other vehicles or people involved, according to Gaskill, and no additional injuries.
#TrafficAlert WB Alameda at Airport Blvd. is shutdown for a crash and active investigation. We will continue to update this thread.
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) August 19, 2025
The keys of the stolen APD vehicle were not in the ignition, but Gaskill said that an anti-theft device installed in Aurora patrol cars did not activate at the time of the incident.
"It's a process that we have to initiate, and for whatever reason, that didn't happen, which is what we'll look into. It could be a variety of reasons why it didn't engage," Gaskill said.
Westbound Alameda Avenue at S. Airport Boulevard reopened around 10:50 a.m., APD said, a little over two hours after the police pursuit.
Police said Reyes-Bernal is currently on probation for an Adams County felony conviction.
