Aurora Man Arrested for Burglary at Store Where Businessman was killed

A 39-year-old man from Aurora, Colorado, has been taken into custody in Jefferson County for a burglary that took place on December 26th at the same store where popular businessman Peter Arguello was fatally shot during a robbery on November 29th.

The suspect, Charles Robinson Shay, was already being tracked by the police for his involvement in a stolen Polestar vehicle. According to authorities, the stolen vehicle was spotted outside Peter Damien Fine Jewelry and Antiques at approximately 5 a.m. on December 26th, around the time when the attempted burglary occurred.

It is worth noting that the store was empty at the time of the incident, as it had been cleared out following the tragic killing of its owner, Peter Arguello.

A police affidavit filed for the burglary and motor vehicle theft reveals that investigators have been interested in Shay since a crime lab report on December 8th confirmed that the DNA found on flex cuffs, which were used during the killing of Arguello, matched Shay’s DNA.

Shay has a criminal record that includes previous arrests in Colorado for theft, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and DUI.

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Flex cuffs are restraints typically used by the police during mass arrests in civil disturbances. The affidavit states that surveillance video from the store’s previous robbery in November showed that Arguello was shot as one of the robbers attempted to restrain him with flex cuffs. The cuffs, which were tied together with a latex glove, were later found on the floor.

Witnesses reported seeing two individuals wearing ball caps leaving the store in a stolen red pickup truck. This truck was later discovered partially burned on December 1st, outside a tire store at Smoky Hill and Buckley Roads in Centennial. The affidavit mentions that a traffic camera recorded another white pickup truck following the stolen truck to that location. The white truck was found to be registered to a woman associated with Shay.

During surveillance outside Shay’s residence in Aurora, police spotted a stolen Polestar vehicle. After obtaining court approval, they placed a tracker on the vehicle.

According to the affidavit, the vehicle was detected outside the Peter Damien store in the early hours of December 26th, coinciding with the time of the break-in. The following day, a warrant was issued, leading to Shay’s arrest.

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Shay reportedly confessed to prying open the rear door and breaking into the business on December 26th, although he claimed that he did not take anything as there was nothing valuable inside. However, when informed that his DNA matched the DNA found on the flex cuffs, Shay “stopped talking,” according to the affidavit.

Currently, Shay is being held at the Jefferson County Jail on charges of aggravated motor vehicle theft and second-degree burglary. However, he has not been charged in relation to the killing of Peter Arguello.

At this time, the Wheat Ridge Police Department has not released any information regarding the number of individuals involved in the robbery and murder. However, two ball caps, which appear to match those seen in the store’s surveillance video, were discovered partially burned in the back of the stolen pickup truck. It is worth noting that the fire department is located in close proximity to where the truck was set ablaze.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and further updates will be provided as new information becomes available.