A 56-year-old man has been arrested after attempting to kidnap a child from her home in Sterling, Colorado while wearing a clown mask. Thomas Gallegos is facing charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, second-degree attempted kidnapping, third-degree assault, and child abuse following the incident.
The Sterling Police Department reported that Gallegos broke into the home on October 15 wearing a cloth clown mask. He then entered the eight-year-old girl’s bedroom, where he blindfolded her. Despite the girl fighting back, Gallegos hit her in the head and attempted to choke her before fleeing the scene with her phone. The girl sustained cuts and bruises but was not severely injured.
After a four-day search, Gallegos was identified and arrested on October 19 with the help of digital, forensic, and physical evidence. This evidence included location data from the girl’s phone and security footage. The girl’s mother mentioned to investigators that Gallegos had been in their neighborhood the weekend before to help install a washer and dryer at their home.
According to reports, Gallegos claimed he was in Denver at the time of the break-in. However, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation will be conducting DNA tests on a clown mask and gloves left at the scene. Investigators in the case emphasized the importance of obtaining the truth from Gallegos during their interactions with him.
In summary, the attempted kidnapping incident in Sterling, Colorado has raised concerns about child safety in the neighborhood. The swift action taken by law enforcement to apprehend the suspect highlights the importance of using various forms of evidence to solve such cases. Parents and residents are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.