The culprits of the grand Colorado locker room heist — when at least three players had jewelry stolen from them and others were said to have their cash and headphones dashed during the Buffaloes' Oct. 28 road clash with UCLA — have reportedly been found.
And although their identities haven't yet been revealed to the public, their purported affiliations have: they were high schoolers — all of whom attend nearby Beaumont High School, according to the Pasadena Police Department.
The brazen theft, which took place partway through Colorado's 28-16 loss to UCLA on that warm October day, took the college football world by storm. Many drew parallels to a similar situation head coach Deion Sanders encountered while at Jackson State when he had some personal items taken.
MORE: Colorado players reportedly have jewelry stolen from locker room during loss to UCLA
Sanders, for his part, was more subdued in his reaction to the news. Instead, he called for clemency to be offered on behalf of the teenagers, all of whom he believes shouldn't have their lives drastically altered on account of a mistake.
Let’s make sure those kids atone for what transpired, whether it’s community service or whatever it is, but they don’t lose the opportunities to change their lives,” Sanders said during a news conference Tuesday. “They are kids. They made a stupid, dumb, idiotic mistake. When I was 17, 18, so did I. All right? So did you.”
Some of the items alleged to have been stolen were returned back to Colorado's players via mail. Others, however, were apprehended in searches targeting the suspected students, per Pasadena Police.
According to UCLA spokesperson Liza David, none of the four students were on an official visit to the school.
High school recruits are permitted unlimited official visits to any prospective school during their high school careers. However, players can only attend one official visit per school. The program can cover expenses for transportation, lodging and meals throughout the duration of the trip.
Local prospects — like those hailing from nearby Beaumont High — often opt for unofficial visits instead.
Beaumont football coach Jeff Steinberg declined to comment on whether there were Beaumont players who had been implicated in the robbery.
The Beaumont Unified District did, however:
“We are disappointed and disheartened to hear of the alleged involvement of Beaumont High School students in the incident at the UCLA-Colorado football game on October 28. We strive to promote strong character and integrity in our students, and the alleged actions do not represent our core values as a school, District, and community. While the students were not at the UCLA-Colorado football game as part of a school-sponsored event, the District is cooperating fully with Pasadena Police Department’s investigation.”
Despite all the drama, Sanders was even-handed in his approach to the youth, it seems.
“Let’s pray for those kids and lift them up," Sanders said. "And hopefully and prayerfully, they get another opportunity,” he said.
