Campus Alert Archive
CU Boulder

From Parking Lot 310 to the Kansas Turnpike: A Campus Carjacking That Ended 500 Miles Away

COmotor vehicle thefttimely warninghigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

A man approached a student in Parking Lot 310 near Cheyenne-Arapaho residence hall and Wardenburg Health Center on the morning of March 18, 2022, demanded the student's keys and personal belongings, then stole the vehicle and fled northbound on Broadway. The suspect implied he was armed by keeping his hand inside a black bag throughout the encounter. CU Boulder Police issued a safety alert, and the suspect was apprehended later that day near Hays, Kansas, after a high-speed chase by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Alerts
2
Response
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Killed
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Injured
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Institution
University of Colorado Boulder
Public R1 · CO
~40,603 studentsRave Mobile SafetyCU Boulder Alerts
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Verified verbatimCU Boulder Police Department official safety alert page1323 chars
CU SAFETY ALERT: Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery The CU Boulder Police Department (CUPD) is investigating a report of an aggravated motor vehicle theft and robbery on campus. At approximately 9:30 this morning, CUPD was notified of a report of an unidentified male who approached the reporting party in Parking Lot 310 near the Cheyenne-Arapaho residence hall and Wardenburg Health Center. The suspect demanded that the reporting party give him his keys and personal belongings, then stole the reporting party's vehicle and was last seen driving northbound on Broadway. The reporting party said the suspect had his hand in a black bag through the entirety of the interaction, leading the reporting party to believe the suspect was armed. Suspect Description: Black male with dreadlocks, wearing black pants and a white/beige puffer coat. Police are looking for a 2021 Toyota 4-Runner TRD off-road vehicle with black rims and a gold border around the rear license plate; Texas plate PPP3282. Anyone with information regarding this crime or the suspect's location is encouraged to contact CUPD at (303) 492-6666. Reference CUPD case # 2022-0480. This message is being sent in the interest of public safety and in compliance with federal law requiring timely warning notification of crimes committed on or near campus.
The suspect implied he was armed by keeping his hand in a black bag but never displayed a weapon, making this both a robbery (force/intimidation) and motor vehicle theft under Colorado law
CU Boulder uses 'CU Safety Alert' as its branding for Clery timely warnings, distinct from 'CU Emergency Alert' used for emergency notifications
The location near Wardenburg Health Center and Cheyenne-Arapaho residence hall places this in a high-traffic area of campus during morning hours
Unlike the reconstructed version, the actual alert included a suspect description and vehicle details, which are critical for community identification
The explicit statement that the message complies with 'federal law requiring timely warning notification' is more direct about the Clery Act mandate than many peer institutions
UPDATEEmail
Verified verbatimCU Boulder Police Department official update page659 chars
UPDATE: Suspect Apprehended in Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery The University of Colorado Police Department (CUPD) confirms that the suspect that matches the description in a motor vehicle theft and robbery that occurred on the CU Boulder campus this morning has been apprehended. The suspect was arrested at approximately 5:25 p.m. near Hays, Kansas. The suspect was taken into custody by the Kansas Highway Patrol after a high speed chase. The stolen vehicle was also recovered. CUPD would like to thank all of our partner agencies for their help in this case. If you have any information related to this incident, please contact CUPD at (303) 492-6666.
The suspect was apprehended roughly 500 miles from Boulder in Hays, Kansas, approximately 8 hours after the initial theft, indicating the suspect drove at high speed across the state
The Kansas Highway Patrol involvement and high-speed chase add a multi-jurisdictional dimension rarely seen in campus property crime cases
The update was issued the same day as the initial alert, demonstrating effective follow-through in closing the loop with the campus community
The thank-you to 'partner agencies' acknowledges the multi-state law enforcement cooperation required to resolve the case
Context

Background

Motor vehicle theft timely warnings occupy an unusual position in campus Clery Act notifications. They are required when the crime occurs in Clery geography and poses a continuing threat, but the nature of motor vehicle theft means the suspect typically flees the area immediately, which can complicate the 'continuing threat' analysis. In this case, the robbery element (the suspect demanded keys and implied he was armed) clearly established the continuing threat standard. Colorado experienced a significant spike in motor vehicle thefts statewide during 2021 and 2022, with the state ranking among the worst nationally for auto theft rates. The Boulder area was not immune to this trend. This case is unusual for its dramatic resolution: the suspect drove the stolen vehicle approximately 500 miles east before being stopped by the Kansas Highway Patrol near Hays, Kansas after a high-speed pursuit. CU Boulder's alert system distinguishes between 'CU Safety Alerts' (timely warnings for Clery crimes) and 'CU Emergency Alerts' (emergency notifications for immediate threats), a two-tier system that helps the campus community calibrate their response to different threat levels.
Analysis

Key Findings

Motor vehicle theft combined with robbery (force or intimidation) clearly meets the Clery Act's 'continuing threat' standard for timely warning issuance
The suspect was apprehended 500 miles away in Kansas the same day, illustrating how quickly stolen vehicles can leave a campus jurisdiction
CU Boulder's two-tier alert branding ('Safety Alert' vs 'Emergency Alert') helps distinguish timely warnings from emergency notifications
Colorado's statewide motor vehicle theft epidemic during 2021-2022 provided context for campus property crime trends
Outcome
Suspect apprehended near Hays, Kansas, by the Kansas Highway Patrol at approximately 5:25 p.m. the same day following a high-speed pursuit. The stolen vehicle was recovered.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Safety Alert: Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery - CU Boulder Police Department
    colorado.edu
  2. Official
    Suspect Apprehended in Motor Vehicle Theft and Robbery - CU Boulder Police Department
    colorado.edu
  3. News
    Suspect connected to CU Boulder campus car theft arrested Friday in Kansas - Colorado Daily
    coloradodaily.com
Tags
motor-vehicle-theftrobberytimely-warningcoloradocarjackingmulti-jurisdictionalhigh-speed-chase
Added April 2026Updated April 2026Via ingestion