DENVER – Prosecutors announced Wednesday they had charged a 39-year-old man with two felony counts in connection to the burglary of nearly $50,000 in comic books from Mile High Comics in late May.
Francisco Ysidro Ruiz, 39, faces one count of second-degree burglary and one count of theft – both class 4 felonies – for allegedly stealing the 15 high-valued comic books.
According to an affidavit for Ruiz’s arrest, he broke into the book store just after 5 a.m. on May 26, smashed into glass display cases in the front of the store and stole the comic books.
Among the comics were the first Avengers, the first Iron Man and a rare, autographed Spider-Man.
The burglar cut himself during the break-in and left a blood trail and blood-soaked items all over the store.
“Whoever did it knew what they were going for,” William Moulton of Mile High Comics told Denver7 a day after the break-in.
Police received multiple tips through CrimeStoppers that Ruiz was the suspect after they saw reports on the news that contained surveillance images. Many people reported that Ruiz had pawned comic books and visited other comic book stores in the area in the past.
One employee of Mile High Comics who reviewed the surveillance video said they believed Ruiz was the suspect because Ruiz was a former Mile High Comics employee.
A judge signed a warrant for Ruiz’s arrest on June 6. He was formally charged Tuesday and is next due in court on June 28.