Brief
Colorado woman sues Flock Safety and local towns over false package‑theft accusation
Elser claims the automated license‑plate reader misidentified her vehicle in a $25 porch‑theft case and seeks damages for herself and other Coloradans.
By Felo News Desk · Published
A federal complaint filed on October 7, 2025 alleges that Colorado resident Chrisanna Elser was wrongly accused of stealing a $25 package after Flock Safety’s automated license‑plate reader flagged her Rivian vehicle. The suit names Flock Group, the towns of Columbine Valley and Bow Mar, Sergeant Jamie Milliman and Chief Bret Cottrell.
What happened
According to the filing, a package disappeared from a Bow Mar porch on September 22, 2025, shortly before noon. Six Flock cameras cover the town, and the system recorded Elser’s Rivian entering Bow Mar at 11:52 a.m. and leaving at 12:09 p.m. Milliman, who serves Columbine Valley, knocked on Elser’s Fort Logan door on September 27, 2025, presenting a criminal summons and stating he had “indisputable proof.” The summons was delivered without showing the video evidence.
What the reports add
The complaint notes that Elser’s own evidence – a Rivian dash‑cam video, the vehicle’s GPS data, and her phone’s location history – shows two brief drive‑throughs through town and no stop at the porch. A tailor’s surveillance placed her at a gown‑fitting a quarter‑mile away, and a doorbell video of the theft shows a woman who does not resemble Elser. After the summons, Elser and her husband contacted town officials repeatedly over nine days, but the complaint says none reviewed the evidence. On October 7, 2025, the police department posted on Nextdoor asking neighbors for video of a dark‑green Rivian, and on October 11, 2025, Elser sent Chief Cottrell a letter with her compiled evidence.
What was said
Sergeant Milliman is quoted in the filing as telling Elser, “I guess this is a shock to you, but I am telling you, this is a lock… One hundred percent. No doubt.” The complaint states that Milliman also told her the truck had been through town about 20 times in the prior month.
How it came about
The lawsuit follows a viral Ring video that showed Elser receiving the summons, sparking public attention to the case. The filing seeks redress for Elser and other Coloradans whose license‑plate data have been logged by Flock Safety, alleging that the automated system contributed to a wrongful accusation.
Key facts
- Chrisanna Elser filed a federal lawsuit against Flock Group, Columbine Valley, Bow Mar, Sergeant Jamie Milliman and Chief Bret Cottrell. (gizmodo.com)
- The alleged theft involved a $25 package that vanished from a Bow Mar porch on September 22, 2025. (gizmodo.com)
- Flock cameras recorded Elser’s Rivian entering Bow Mar at 11:52 a.m. and leaving at 12:09 p.m. on the day of the theft. (gizmodo.com)
- Elser’s dash‑cam, GPS and phone data showed only two brief drive‑throughs and no stop at the porch. (gizmodo.com)
- Police officer Milliman delivered a summons on September 27, 2025, claiming he had “indisputable proof” but did not show the video. (gizmodo.com)
Sources
- [1] gizmodo.com — originally reported as “Colorado Woman Sues Flock After Cameras Used in False Package-Theft Accusation”
