FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Numerous flags and vehicles were burned this week in Fort Collins, and the crimes come after similar incidents were reported in northeast Fort Collins in October and November.
The TimberVine HOA hosted a meeting Friday evening for neighbors to ask police questions and share information about the crimes.
No arrests have been made in any of the cases, and no one has been injured.
The most recent fires were reported on Jan. 4, according to Fort Collins Police Services. The following crimes were reported on Tuesday.
- An American flag burned in the 2100 block of Lager Street
- A fire on a sidewalk and a Colorado flag burned in the 2100 block of Bock Street
- A vehicle fire that damaged a house, graffiti on the garage door and graffiti on the roadway, and a vehicle in the 400 block of Stout Street
- A ditch fire to the east of the 300 block of Pint Street
On Thursday, a vehicle fire spread to another vehicle parked next to it. As a result, the fire spread and damaged a home in the 300 block of Toronto Street. Investigators are working to determine whether any of these crimes are bias-motivated.
Late last year, there were several fires and criminal mischief reports in the same general area.
The first three incidents happened Oct. 23. On that day, Fort Collins Police took a report about a Pride flag that had been burned and caught a chair cushion on fire. That same night, Poudre Fire Authority responded to a grass fire in the open space area near the TimberVine neighborhood.
Less than an hour later, Poudre Fire and deputies with the Larimer County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Collins Aire Mobile Home Park for a vehicle that was fully engulfed by fire. During that incident, first responders also found a trash can fire nearby.
The next day, on Oct. 24, there was a report of graffiti and an American flag that was burned in the TimberVine neighborhood. The home is near the open space where the grass fire had occurred the day before.
A photo of the graffiti is below:
On Nov. 12, residents in the TimberVine neighborhood made four reports:
- A chair was lit on fire, and the fire spread to a home. This fire was put out by a resident.
- A small grass fire was lit in a canal, and graffiti was found on a fence nearby.
- A Pride flag was burned, and the home’s garage had graffiti on it.
- A scarecrow was burned, and a chair was stolen from that home.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for Fort Collins Police said there are "numerous" detectives and officers working the cases. A dedicated tip line has been set up specifically for these cases. That number is 970-416-2825. People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 970-221-6868 or visit https://www.crimestopperslarimer.org/
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