Purse-snatching suspect shot at border crossing
A suspected purse-snatcher wanted by authorities in 11 Colorado jurisdictions, including Lakewood, is in a California federal lock-up nursing a gunshot wound and
Richard Lee Cress
awaiting a preliminary hearing later this month on charges of assaulting a federal officer during a stop at a border crossing near San Diego.
Immigration agents wounded Richard Lee Cress, 54, of Thornton early Saturday as he tried to flee U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents after they ordered him to an inspection area at the San Ysidro border checkpoint. Instead, Cress allegedly tried to speed away in a vehicle police say was stolen in Colorado. The vehicle, investigators said, had license plates reported stolen in Los Angeles.
As Cress tried to get back on to the highway, he drove over a parked motorcycle and rammed several other vehicles, then shifted into reverse and struck a border patrol agent with his vehicle, investigators said. The agent was not seriously injured.
Other agents opened fire, striking Cress once in the shoulder. He was treated at a San Diego Hospital before being transferred to the federal Metropolitan Correctional Center there.
Cress’ attorney Monday entered a not guilty plea to the federal charge on behalf of his client.
Wheat Ridge police, who are heading the investigation into a string of brazen purse thefts, say Cress is the man who was caught on camera stealing purses from vehicles while the victim pumped gas only a few feet away.
Cress is believed to be linked to at least 30 similar purse thefts since mid-January at gas stations in unincorporated Jeffco, Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Arvada, Federal Heights, Thornton, Broomfield, Littleton, Greenwood Village, Englewood and Denver. Six of the crimes occurred in Wheat Ridge.
Detectives say the purse thief would pull up beside cars while the female victims were pumping gas, get out of his vehicle and open the unlocked front passenger door of the target vehicles according to investigators. The man then stole purses from the front seat of the vehicles, then would shut the door and drive away.
In two instances, the thief took purses from vehicles that were occupies. In one case, he reached across an at-risk adult to take a purse and, in another case, took a purse from a car with a child in the backseat. No injuries were reported in any of the cases, according to the statement.
Cress fits the description of the man seen on gas-stations’ security videotapes. The suspect had been identified as a white or Hispanic male 35- to 50-years-old, between 5-foot-8 and 6 feet tall, with a beard or moustache, and short to medium length brown hair.
The thief drove several different vehicles while committing the thefts.
Investigators want anyone with information about the crimes or Cress’ alleged involvement in them to call the Wheat Ridge PD tip line at 303-233-2947.
