JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is looking for two men it believes are involved in an attempted catalytic converter theft that led to gunfire.
Deputies responded to the 8300 block of South Allison Street in unincorporated Jefferson County Friday morning for a report of two men attempting to steal a catalytic converter from someone’s vehicle. When confronted, one of the men fired a shot at the person but missed, investigators said.
The two men then took off in a silver four-door Honda heading eastbound on West Chatfield Avenue.
UPDATE: Let's make that a SILVER Honda 4-door!
— Jeffco Sheriff (@jeffcosheriffco) March 4, 2022
Jacqueline Gehrig, the homeowner where the shooting happened, said her husband was getting ready for work around 6:05 a.m. when he heard what sounded like a grinder coming from outside. When he went out to look, Gehrig said the silver Honda was parked in front of their house and one of the men involved smiled at her husband.
That’s when her husband realized someone was under their green Honda Element with a saw, according to Gehrig. The man came out from under the SUV and Gehrig’s husband grabbed him and pinned him against the vehicle. The other man told her husband to let him go. That’s when he pulled a gun on him.
“He then pointed the gun at my husband’s head and fired,” said a visibly shaken Gehrig. “Luckily, it missed.”
The two men took off and the Gehrigs called 911. The catalytic converter on their Honda had been half cut off, Gehrig said.
“I’m shocked. I’m shell shocked. I’m still in, like, awe. Like, how did this happen here?” Gehrig said.
The description of the two men is limited. They’re only described as two white males who are approximately 6-foot, and one of the men had red hair and dark clothing, according to investigators.
Gehrig also said someone was walking nearby and witnessed the shooting. She hopes that person will call police and provide more details on the vehicle and the men involved.
“My husband could be dead now,” Gehrig said. “Tell your loved ones you love them every day because you never know.”
According to Colorado State Patrol, the number of catalytic converter thefts have risen sharply in Colorado over the past three years.
In 2019, there were 189 reported stolen. That jumped to 1,153 in 2020 and to 9,811 last year — for a more-than 5,000% increase over the time period.
Anyone with any information regarding the incident is asked to call the Jeffco Sheriff’s Office.
