(Media News) Colorado Newspaper Theft Following Controversial Police Chief Story; Community Rallies in Support

In Ouray County, Colorado, nearly all copies of the local newspaper, the Ouray County Plaindealer, were stolen from racks. This occurred on the same day the paper published a story about felony sexual assault charges filed against three young men, including a relative of the police chief, for alleged rapes at an underage drinking party at the police chief’s house in May 2023.

Publisher Mike Wiggins, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed determination to uncover the truth behind the theft, stating: “If you hoped to silence or intimidate us, you failed miserably. We’ll find out who did this. And another press run is imminent.” The newspaper also made the story accessible online without a paywall.

By Thursday evening, a bag of newspapers was returned to the Plaindealer, and the community had donated around $2,000, which Wiggins described as “extremely heartening and humbling.” About 200 newspapers out of 250 were stolen, with the thieves spending around $12 to open the racks.

Wiggins believes the theft was the act of a single individual, whose identity he withheld but reported to the police. Surveillance footage captured some of the thefts. Ouray Police Chief Jeff Wood did not respond to a request for comment.

The Plaindealer plans to cover the theft in its next edition, focusing on the importance of the issue. Mike Wiggins and Erin McIntyre, the owners and publishers for almost five years, emphasized their commitment to objective journalism, saying, “We work very hard to make sure we are not the story.” Previously, the newspaper experienced a minor incident when reporting on a campground violating COVID-19 restrictions.

Update: Paul Choate, 41, was cited for petty theft after admitting to stealing over 200 copies of the Ouray County Plaindealer. Choate, owner of Kate’s Place restaurant in Ridgway, returned the newspapers with an apology, citing the front-page story as his motive.

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