Yesterday, during the Colorado State House Judicial Committee hearing, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant Gregory White testified on behalf of Sheriff Joseph Roybal, in strong support of House Bill 25-1062, Penalty for Theft of Firearms.
Under current law, the sentencing structure for theft (excluding automobile theft) is based on the item’s value. HB 25-1062 would exempt theft of a firearm from the current sentencing structure and make theft of a firearm a class 6 felony, regardless of the firearm’s value. Subsequent violations, including multiple firearms stolen in the same criminal incident, are separate class 5 felonies.
“I am pleased to see House Bill 25-1062 gain ground with our legislature,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “This bill will help law enforcement hold dangerous criminals accountable, particularly those who commit violent crimes in our communities. I thank the bill sponsors for championing quality gun safety legislation and commend them for looking for effective ways to make Colorado safer for families, tourists, and businesses. Special thanks to Lieutenant White for testifying on my behalf and representing our Office at the Capitol.”
The bill was sponsored by House Majority Leader Monica Duran, Representative Ryan Armagost, and Senator Nick Hinrichsen and passed out of the Committee with a 6-5 vote in favor.
Read Lieutenant White’s remarks, as written, to the Committee below:
Good afternoon. Thank you, Chairman Mabrey and members of the committee.
My name is Greg White, and I am here today on behalf of El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal, testifying in support of House Bill 25-1062.
I have worked in law enforcement for over 27 years, covering almost all areas of the profession. Previously, I was an ATF task Force Officer, focusing on investigating, apprehending, and aiding in the prosecution of criminals who possess firearms.
Now, I serve as a Lieutenant in the Investigations Division and oversee many teams of investigators. The Criminal Intelligence Unit focuses on pattern crimes and investigating and arresting prolific offenders.
Our office regularly recovers numerous firearms during criminal investigations.
Approximately 100 firearms are stolen each month in the Pikes Peak region.
Of those, about half are stolen from homes and vehicles.
Last year, this legislature addressed this, requiring safe storage in those locations.
However, there is room for improvement as the theft or possession of a stolen gun is still based on the item’s value, not its nature or intent.
HB25-1062 would close the gap in statute and enable law enforcement to hold criminals accountable.
For example, a deputy observes an adult breaking into a car and stealing a handgun. When we arrest the individual, we find two more stolen handguns on them; each handgun is worth $300.
By law, since breaking into a car was lowered to a misdemeanor in 2022, and theft is based on the value of the items taken ($900), we would write the individual a summons and send them on their way, as everything they have done is a misdemeanor-level crime. (1st-degree criminal trespass, class 1M, and theft, a class 2M, as it’s less than $1000.)
In law enforcement, we routinely deal with individuals who have multiple stolen firearms, and typically, per statute, we only charge them with a misdemeanor for having those guns based on their value.
Criminals are not stealing firearms to put them out of sight and out of mind; they are being used in the furtherance of other crimes.
HB25-1062 would allow us to charge these dangerous individuals with a felony (commensurate with the crime committed) for each stolen firearm, enhancing sentencing and keeping criminals off the streets and out of our communities for an appropriate amount of time.
For these reasons, Sheriff Roybal and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office members fully support HB25-1062.
Thank you for your time and to the bill’s sponsors. I am happy to answer any questions the Committee may have.”