UPDATE: Hours after the news piece aired, someone spotted Connor's car and called police! Connor shared a photo confirming he was able to get the vehicle towed and now he is working to get it re-keyed. It isn't clear if the person who spotted the car knew about the coverage on News5, or how they knew it was stolen, but we're just glad he has his car back! There were no arrests as of the last time News5 checked in with police.
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News5 is learning from Colorado Springs Police that reported car thefts are down so far in 2025 compared to 2024, but this type of crime is still happening on a daily basis.
Connor McLeod was working in Colorado Springs recently, delivering for Black Jack Pizza along Uintah Street. He left his car running as he went into a gas station to grab a drink, something he is well aware he shouldn't have done. He was only inside for a few minutes, and when he returned outside, he said a masked person was sitting in the driver's seat of his car.
"It took me a second to realize what was happening," McLeod explained. "And I was like, 'Dude, what's going on?' I tried to open the door, and he slammed it shut, and he kind of looked at me and just slammed it shut and tried to pop it into gear, and kind of went backwards, forward, backwards and forward and then was gone with the car."
McLeod's phone was in the car, and after calling the police with a different phone, he was able to track his vehicle about a half a block away. He says the criminal had ripped all the electronics out and smashed them, including his phone. McLeod believes the car thief was trying to destroy anything that could track him, but his car was gone.
"It's like they sort of knew what they were doing," McLeod added. "Maybe that's protocol."
In the coming days, McLeod, his family members, and people on social media spotted his car all across town. He says he eventually received a call from police, who had found his Honda Accord near Sand Creek High School. McLeod met with a community service officer, who had him sign some paperwork. McLeod had his car back, but didn't have a spare key. He called for a tow truck and set up an appointment to get a new key for his vehicle. The moment the community service officer left, and in broad daylight, it happened again.
"A sketchy car pulls up behind me," McLeod described the situation as he was waiting for a tow. "Two kids run up with ski masks, hop in the car, and take off. And so I chased them, like in the car that I was in, as far as I could, until they were gone."
McLeod couldn't believe it.
"That was the most frustrating part," McLeod added. "Was getting the car back and, like, sitting in my car again and being like, wow. Like, everything's fine."
It wasn't fine, and McLeod is left once again hoping to get his car back. He has a second vehicle, a truck. But he had to leave his job as a delivery driver without his Honda Accord. He had liability insurance on the Honda Accord, so he's still hopeful it will turn up. McLeod believes the laws are too lenient for this type of crime.
McLeod's car is pictured at the top of this article, and it has been spotted with a plate on and off. The license plate number is ADC-I91. If you see it, you're asked to call police and reference case number 2025-00121120.
McLeod described the car theft suspects as "kids," but their exact age is unknown. Juvenile crime has been an issue in Colorado Springs, but News5 learned reports of motor vehicle theft continue to decline.
Multiple bills were signed into law in 2023 to crack down on motor vehicle theft. SB23-097 focused on repeat and prolific offenders. However, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is reporting they still have issues with suspects being arrested for motor vehicle theft and released days later, multiple times. SB23-257 provided more grant funding to law enforcement agencies.
CSPD highlighted two recent suspects whom they have reason to believe are repeat offenders, they didn't share the names and ages of the suspects. But according to a spokesperson, in one case, the spokesperson explained a suspect was arrested in early January, released, arrested a second time in January, released again and arrested a third time in late February, only to be released again. A second suspect was arrested in early January, released later that month, and arrested a second time in February and is "already out."
As a whole, motor vehicle theft is down 38 percent when comparing January and February of 2024 to January and February of 2025, according to data from CSPD.
Notable numbers on motor vehicle theft shared by CSPD:
-In 2024 there were 666 motor vehicle theft cases in Jan. and Feb., compared to 415 cases in Jan. and Feb. of this year (down 38 percent)
-CSPD saw their lowest monthly volume of stolen vehicles in Jan. and Feb. of this year since May and June of 2020.
-In February, there were 163 total offenses, and 113 stolen vehicles were recovered
-There were 27 motor vehicle theft arrests in February, including two BATTLE deployments (BATTLE stands for Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement, Task Force.)
A family in Colorado City says illegal dumping near their home is becoming a safety issue
One official told News5 the trash piles could be infested with rats or other dangerous factors, so they are waiting to work with the health department to remove trash from the area.
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