FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Fort Collins police have arrested a juvenile in connection with multiple cases of arson this past fall, and the suspect is facing multiple felony charges.
On Thursday, detectives and officers with Fort Collins Police Services were able to contact a juvenile male and detain him as part of their investigation into recent arson incidents around the area. He was transported to the Larimer County Hub and booked on charges of:
- Two counts of first-degree arson (of a residence, endangering life)
- One count of first-degree arson (no endangerment to life)
- One count of criminal mischief (of $20,000 - $99,999)
All of the charges are felonies.
The arson crimes happened in the TimberVine and Dry Creek neighborhoods in Fort Collins, as well as Collins Aire Mobile Home Park in Larimer County.
The first arson was reported on Oct. 23, 2023, when Fort Collins police learned that a Pride flag had been burned, spreading the fire to a chair cushion, according to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office. Around the same time, firefighters responded to a grass fire in the open space area near the TimberVine neighborhood. Less than an hour later, firefighters and sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the Collins Aire Mobile Home Park for a vehicle that was fully engulfed by fire. At the scene, first responders also found a burning trash can nearby.
Crime
Fort Collins police, Larimer County deputies investigating series of arson fires
A day later, on Oct. 24, there was a report of graffiti and an American flag that had been burned in the TimberVine neighborhood. The home where this happened is near the open space where the grass fire had occurred the previous day.
On Nov. 12, four reports of arson came in from residents in the TimberVine neighborhood: A chair was lit on fire and spread to a residence, a small grass fire was lit in a canal and graffiti was found on a fence nearby, a Pride flag had been burned and the home’s garage had graffiti on it, and a scarecrow was burned and a chair that was stolen from a home.
Fort Collins police said detectives are continuing to investigate the cases and additional charges are pending.
"We got him! I’m so thankful for the tireless work of members of FCPS who arrested the perpetrator of numerous arsons in our community," Police Chief Jeff Swoboda wrote on the police department's Facebook post.
Because the suspect is a juvenile, his name will not be released and no other information was available.
“Our investigators have put in countless hours working these cases, and we are thankful that our collaboration with Fort Collins led to an arrest of the suspect in these crimes,” said Larimer County Lt. Donnie Robbins. “The suspect vandalized and set fire to people’s property, and although thankfully no one was hurt, the lasting impact on the affected residents in these neighborhoods cannot be overlooked. The fact that the suspect is now securely in custody brings relief, and we remain dedicated to serving and protecting our community.”
Anybody with information on these cases is asked to contact the Fort Collins Police Tip Line at 970-416-2825.
