Arrest made in King Soopers shoplifting case: video viewed by thousands
A man suspected of involvement in a brazen shoplifting case in front of startled King Soopers customers has been apprehended and jailed. Thousands of people have viewed videos online of the daytime robbery which occurred on May 29 at the Brighton King Soopers at 100 North 50th Avenue.
A man and woman are seen on multiple videos wheeling out a cart of laundry detergent at about 4 p.m. on that Monday afternoon. The store appeared busy, and customers and store security guards can be seen attempting to stop Zola Diandwakila, 20.
A Brighton police report says "Individuals attempted to leave store with a cart full of Tide laundry containers."
The goods were valued at about $600, according to King Soopers. Police say Diandwakila brandished a screwdriver and told a security guard,"You'll have to shoot me or give me my stuff. I'll stab you if you don't give me my stuff."
One customer told police he punched the suspect in the face as they wrestled over the laundry detergent.
Video of the incident was viewed more than 19,000 times on one Youtube video channel.
Last week, Brighton police said Denver police stopped a stolen car and arrested Diandwakila, who is being held on $5,000 bond.
"The situation is out of control," said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, explaining that events like the one in Brighton are why Aurora enacted a city ordinance mandating at least three days in jail for shoplifters who are found guilty of stealing more than $300 in merchandise.
Aurora says so far, a dozen people have been jailed under the new ordinance.
"There's a rising anger about that," said Coffman,"and the feeling is they're not just stealing from the store, they're stealing from everybody."
He said passing a local law to crack down on shoplifters was a response to a perception that the state legislature has not done enough to address rising property crime rates.
"Having our own ordinances is a direct response to what the legislature has done in terms of lessening penalties," said Coffman.
While some political opponents have criticized jailing individuals involved in property crimes, Coffman said "When somebody is an habitual criminal and behind bars, those days they are not creating new victims, not stealing from our stores."
Recent crime statistics show property crime and other crimes in Aurora have been decreasing in recent months. For Aurora, property crime was down 13.9% in the first four months of this year compared to the same period in 2022.
"If you want to shoplift," said Coffman, "Aurora is probably not the place to do it."
Organized retail crime has been a growing problem in Colorado and across the country. The Colorado Retail Council estimates thieves stole about $1 billion in goods from Colorado retailers. In some American cities, the problem has become so acute that it is contributing to major retailers closing their stores.
In Westminster, the city is poised to pass its own new laws addressing catalytic converter theft, joyriding, street racing and getting faster restitution for crime victims.
Mayor Pro Tem David Demott told CBS News Colorado the message of the proposed new laws is "Don't do a crime in Westminster. We want you to know we are going to hold you accountable if we catch you breaking the law in Westminster."
Like Coffman, Demott said the proposed new laws are in response to a belief that the legislature has not done enough and "this has softened at the state."
Politicians have attributed a rise in lawlessness in part to lesser consequences for criminals, which began during the pandemic, when the legal system was less inclined to put offenders accused of property crimes in jail.
"We have a culture problem," said Demott, "and people don't realize they are hurting other people with these crimes whether it's shoplifting or street racing."
In Brighton, police Commander Monce Portillo said they were still looking for the woman seen on videos with Diandwakila.
Jessica Trowbridge, a regional spokesperson for King Soopers, said in a written statement, "We are disappointed by the increased level of crime across retail establishments and the impact these incidents have on our associates and customers. We remain committed to working in partnership with local law enforcement to address this issue, as safety remains our top priority. Additionally, we have security measures in place to help prevent crime and de-escalate such instances."
