2-Color
2 Lone Tree Voice
April 11, 2013
Police, security stop robbery attempt at mall One suspect jailed, two other flee scene By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Lone Tree police said they teamed up with mall security officials March 30 to thwart an attempted robbery at Park Meadows shopping center. A woman was arrested, and two male suspects, one of whom apparently had been carrying a stolen handgun, still are being sought. Bernadette Irene Vargas, 51, of Edgewater, was arrested on six charges and booked into the Douglas County jail. While shoplifting is common at malls nationwide, robberies — especially those involving a weapon — are unusual. “We don’t have a problem with robber-
CORRECTION The river known as the Purgatoire or Picketwire was incorrectly described in a column in the April 4 and April 5 editions of Colorado Community Media newspapers. The river runs east from Trinidad.
ies at the mall,” Lone Tree Police Chief Jeff Streeter said. “(This is) the one report since January 2012 in which a weapon was used. It’s very rare.” The incident started about 6:40 p.m. at the JC Penney store, when a store Streeter loss-prevention officer confronted the trio for allegedly taking about $300 of cologne. One of the men reportedly lifted his shirt to reveal a handgun, and threatened the security officer. Vargas reportedly then threw a bag of stolen merchandise at the security officer and the three suspects ran out of the mall. The security officer and Lone Tree police officer Dennis Boos, who is stationed at the department’s Park Meadows substation, caught up to two of the three fleeing
suspects in the parking lot. Boos pulled his gun and ordered them to stop. The man briefly complied and Vargas also stopped, but Vargas reportedly started cursing, yelling ‘Shoot me,’ and walking around the man, and before either Vargas could be detained, she ran off into the parking lot. The security officer caught up to Vargas first and wrestled her to the ground. She allegedly cursed and attempted to kick Boos when he handcuffed her. Police later found a loaded handgun under a nearby car in the mall parking lot. The gun had been reported stolen to Thornton police. Authorities who searched Vargas at the jail reportedly found she was wearing un-
derwear with Victoria’s Secret tags still attached to them. Vargas was charged with aggravated robbery, menacing with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, attempted second-degree assault, theft and disorderly conduct. Though the incident started as a shoplifting, the suspects’ use of threats, force or intimidation elevates it to a robbery, Streeter said. Streeter praised Boos’ calm response during the tense, at-times chaotic series of events. “They relied on their training,” he said. “The officer assessed it properly and we were able to take someone into custody, with no injuries to anybody.” Malls and large shopping centers are frequent targets for shoplifters, many of whom are professionals and some of whom are part of national, organized shoplifting rings.
SO MUCH INSIDE THE VOICE THIS WEEK Boost in jobs. Health-care IT company TriZetto has opened the doors to its new world headquarters in Meridian International Business Center. Page 4
Cook-off. Nutrition Services employees from Douglas County schools ranked high in a competition at the Colorado Capitol. Page 6
Music legend. “Hank Williams: Lost Highway” brings humor and sadness to the stage in Lone Tree. Page 17
On the diamond. Valor Christian baseball coach Keith Wahl is focusing his team’s attention on quality at-bats. Page 19
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