I understand Mike's sensitivity in this case George. Probably should just use the general term "crooks".
You keep associating these crooks with being mexican and meth use..... Mexican/Hispanic/Latino (whatever ya wanna call 'em) crooks aren't generally users of Meth. That's a white-trash drug in majority. Meth-heads generally aren't motivated enough to steal cars - too hard to make money on them. Meth-heads like stuff they can steal and pawn, or recycle quick for cash.
Given the area where it was stolen from, I'd put my gamblin' money on your crooks being of Hispanic origin, but likely grabbed the jeep as part of local gang initiation. The paint was just to add insult to injury, not to try to disguise it to keep using it. The red might actually be to mark it as having been grabbed by Bloods. Since it was recovered in Aurora..... Bloods probably dumped it with the red paint to show they trespassed in Blue/Crip territory, although I'd expect there to be some gang related graffiti on or in the jeep as well...... dunno.
Jeffco jail has nearly 1400 inmates currently and easily, 1000 of them are Hispanics. The vast majority of those are undocumenteds that got popped for driving without licenses and uninsured, or stealing tools so they can work. Quite a few are gang members and most of those are associated with MS-13 or the Cartels. You should see the cruelty those groups utilize on their "members". Facial tattoos - never seen it this bad in the past. They make sure to mark their members. Keeps them from dropping out or switching teams. These guys don't steal cars just to trash 'em and dump 'em. If they steal cars, it's high end ones that fetch good money. Otherwise, they're mostly here in connection with the illegal drug trade.
But I digress......... lol.