Five were arrested and three vehicles recovered Thursday evening during another Beat Auto Theft Through Law Enforcement (BATTLE) operation — the second this week, according to a blotter post by Colorado Springs police.

The operation involved three investigations that led to the arrests of suspects linked to several motor vehicle thefts, including two who are prolific offenders, police said.  Members from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and Colorado State Patrol assisted in the effort.

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During the first investigation, Daniel Flore, 49, was found in a parking lot at the Antero Apartments, near South Academy Boulevard and U.S. 24, and learned he had an arrest warrant out of Lakewood for auto theft. 

Another arrest was made after BATTLE officers located 43-year-old Jashua Kresky, a known auto theft offender, who was allegedly driving a stolen vehicle police hadn’t linked him to yet, according to the post. 

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On July 24, the Police Department investigated a residential burglary, near East Woodmen Road and Rangewood Drive, where a Ford Explorer was stolen after the suspect found it parked inside an unlocked garage with the keys and a 9mm handgun inside.

Detectives located the vehicle . An attempt was made to stop the driver, but police say the suspect drove away.

Detectives followed the Explorer to an apartment complex located across town from initial contact and saw the driver, Chance Davidson, 29, and a passenger, River Sealock, 30, exit the car then walk through the apartment complex, where a detective attempted to arrest them.

Police said Davidson and Sealock initially escaped, entering another vehicle driven by 29-year-old Jesse McCoon. As the vehicle attempted to leave, deputies from the Sheriff’s Office blocked its path with their vehicle. The three men were arrested.

Sealock and McCoon are prolific auto theft offenders and had multiple active arrest warrants for related offenses, according to police.

All five suspects were taken into custody at the El Paso County jail.

On Monday, law enforcement conducted another BATTLE operation that led to three arrests and the recovery of seven stolen vehicles. 

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