City hit by a robbery spree in January, police report

Colorado Springs was hit by 134 robberies in the past two months, although a police spokesman said it's a spike rather than an indication the city is in for a record crime wave this year.

In January alone, there were 82 robberies in the city, an 82 percent increase over the same month in 2009, when there were 45, according to totals released Tuesday by Colorado Springs police. That followed the 52 robberies in December 2009, which was two fewer than in the final month of 2008.

The report on robberies and arrests came after a month in which the department's online blotter chronicled nearly daily armed holdups - sometimes more than one a day-  at mostly small businesses, fast-food restaurants and banks throughout the city.

Lt. David Whitlock, a police spokesman, called the spike in January an anomaly and said comparing month-to-month data isn’t an accurate way to report crime trends.

“Just because we’ve had this uptake in January doesn’t mean we’re on a record pace for the year,” he said. “Crime trending is not done month-to-month, rather it’s done over several years.”

He pointed out that overall, the number of robberies in the city has gone down from 608 in 2006 to 530 in 2009.

Of the 134 robberies in the past two months, police have made arrests in 42. The department's clearance rate of 31 percent on the robberies exceeds the national average of 26 percent, Whitlock said.

“It shows that our detectives are doing some fabulous work,” Whitlock said.

Some of those arrested may have committed other robberies, as well, but just haven't been linked to them yet, he said.

He said it’s unknown if the economic downturn is causing more people to turn to crime.

“That would be speculative to say the least,” he said. “Certainly the economic downturn has had an effect on all of us, but crime data over the next few years will show just how much.”

Police said the following arrests have been made in the recent robbery spree:

•  Aaron Wilkerson, 28, and Brandon Armijo, 26. Arrested on suspicion of committing a robbery on Dec. 17 at an apartment complex at 280 Rimview Drive and the robbery the same day of a pizza delivery driver at 3755 Astrozon Blvd. Wilkerson also is a suspect in a homicide in Pueblo and a purse snatching on Dec. 7 at a south Colorado Springs shopping center in which an elderly woman was assaulted with a stun gun.

•  Jordan Castophney, 19. Arrested on suspicion of robbing a Subway sandwich store, 1506 S. Nevada Ave., on Dec. 17 and a Domino's Pizza, 330 N Wahsatch Ave., on Dec. 18.

•  Kenneth Hatcher, 16, and Marcellus Terry, 21. Arrested on suspicion of robbing a Domino's Pizza, 2850 S. Academy Blvd., on Jan. 1.

• Clifford Jones Johnson, 21. Arrested on suspicion of robbing a Subway sandwich store, 3434 N Academy Blvd., on Jan. 6 and a Subway, 6880 Centennial Blvd., on January 14.

• Barron McCollum, 20. Arrested on suspicion of robbing the Public Service Credit Union, 4750 Granby Circle, on Jan. 11.

• Lorenzo Herrera, 17. Arrested on suspicion of robbing a McDonald’s restaurant, 207 N. Wahsatch Ave., on Jan. 13, and the Little Market, 749 E Willamette Ave., on Jan. 21.

• David Larson, 45. Arrested on suspicion of robbing the Schlotzky’s Sandwich Shop, 1869 S. Nevada Ave., on Jan. 28.

• Angel Rodrigo Romero, 27. Arrested on suspicion of robbing the Big Bear Conoco, 1433 S. Tejon St., on Jan. 26 and Jan. 29.

•  Jason Lopez, 38. Arrested on suspicion of robbing Wal-Mart, 8250 Razorback Road, on Jan. 5 during which a shot was fired in the store.

Police are still looking for Demond Smith, 22, and Bashir Ingram, 20, who are both wanted for multiple robberies and are considered armed and dangerous.

Police had previously announced arrests in five mid-January armed robberies that included three juveniles since charged as adults. Benito Castillo, 23, and Edward Castillo, 21, were arrested on suspicion of robbing 7-Eleven stores at 3805 E. Pikes Peak Ave., and  2555 Delta Drive on Jan. 16; First Wok Chinese Restaurant, 3912 E. San Miguel St., and  Best Checks Cashed, 3849 E. Pikes Peak Ave., on Jan. 9; and China Buffet, 628 S. Academy Blvd., on Jan. 10.

Osvaldo Reyes-Vidal, 15, Rodrigo Leal, 16, and Irving Omar Rodriguez, 17, also are accused of taking part in some of those robberies.

Robberies in Colorado Springs  by year

2006: 608

2007: 536

2008: 526

2009: 530