MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Authorities in Mesa County have arrested four individuals in connection with a series of vehicle thefts and fraud incidents within a two-mile radius in Clifton.
On Tuesday, Mesa County Sheriff’s deputies and investigators executed a search warrant at a home on the 600 block of 33 Road after receiving six reports of thefts from vehicles between Sunday and Tuesday.
Surveillance footage from a convenience store helped deputies identify Elaine Walker, 37, of Clifton, as a suspect after she was seen using a victim’s stolen credit cards. Investigators determined the 33 Road residence was Walker’s home and obtained a warrant to search the property.
During the operation, deputies also identified and arrested Mikel Smith, 22, of Grand Junction. The search uncovered stolen property, including a firearm, linked to the victims.
Two additional individuals with outstanding warrants—Ashleigh Holloway, 34, and Damien Martinez, 43—were also taken into custody during the investigation.
Walker faces charges including identity theft, theft of a firearm, first-degree criminal trespass, and theft ranging from $300 to $1,000, among others. Smith was charged with identity theft, two counts of firearm theft, and failure to appear.
All four suspects were booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility.
The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office thanked local residents and businesses for assisting in the case, emphasizing that video surveillance from the community was key to the arrests.
“Video surveillance systems on homes and businesses can be vital resources for evidence,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
