WELD COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Two men are accused of fraudulently obtaining nearly $30,000 worth of steel from a company in unincorporated Weld County last week.
Sheriff’s deputies were informed of a “cold theft” at a steel business north of Greeley on June 24. When they began investigating, the owner told deputies a man he knew by the name of George Smith of George’s Construction made four significant purchases of rebar by credit card over the phone over the last few weeks. Deputies said the owner told them the material was picked up by another man, known as “Carlos Martinez.”
The suspects were allegedly using fake names and their real cellphone numbers were disguised using an app. When the purchases were flagged fraudulent by the credit card company, the payments were canceled.
Security camera video of Martinez from the steel business shows a white or Latino man of average height and build. The vehicle he drove is described as a black, newer model Dodge Ram four-door pickup with a toolbox in the bed and a white logo on the rear passenger side door. The letters “JL” are possibly part of the logo and a black dump trailer was being towed by the truck.
Deputies said Martinez was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and a light blue baseball hat at the steel business.
Anyone with information about any of the people or vehicle involved in this incident is asked to contact Deputy Ryan Baer at (970) 400-4026. Other options to contact authorities regarding the incident are Weld County Sheriff’s Office at (970) 356-4015 or Northern Colorado Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).