Courts/Crime

GREELEY -- The Weld County Sheriff's Office said new strategies have helped deputies stem an increase of property thefts.

Sgt. Tim Schwartz said his office saw a 21 percent increase in the number of property thefts in 2012. Most of them were battery thefts, copper thefts and scrap metal thefts. Schwartz said rising prices in the scrap metal industry makes those commodities attractive to thieves.

In October, Schwartz said deputies became more proactive in their approach to solving these sorts of crimes.

GREELEY — A Firestone man was sentenced Dec. 12 to 9.5 years in the Department of Corrections for the 2011 poisoning deaths of his neighbors’ dogs, and intimidating a witness in the case.

Out of the two charges, the intimidating count contributed the most (8 years) to Joseph Losinski sentence.

Prosecutors maintained that Losinski, who became a suspect after strychnine was found during the dogs’ autopsies, left a threatening letter on another neighbor’s car as an attempt to persuade testimony.

    Firestone Police Sgt. Chris Ross and Community Service Officer Angela Gahnstrom were honored at the Aug. 22 Board of Trustees meeting for dedicating 10 years of service to the Firestone Police Department.

    “I regard both of these officers as being outstanding members of the department,” said Firestone Police Chief David Montgomery. “Their contribution throughout the years has been positive, and I look forward to another 10 years with them serving the Firestone community.”

GREELEY — Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck last month announced the launch of the “Preventing and Reporting Crimes Against Immigrants” program.
    The campaign is designed to help educate Weld County’s diverse immigrant community that it’s important to report all crimes to local law-enforcement. Many immigrants are reluctant to report crime due to immigration status, cultural differences or fear of retaliation from family members or authorities.