DENVER (KDVR) — The Fort Collins Police Services began investigating a series of potential arson fires across northeast areas of the city in late October, and the criminal mischief may have restarted, according to the agency.
The first spat of incidents occurred in the TimberVine neighborhood and Collins Aire Mobile Home Park, which are separate jurisdictions for law enforcement. However, due to the similarity and proximity of the cases, investigators from FCPS and the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office began working together on the investigation.
Poudre Fire Authority investigators are also supporting the investigation.
New reports of fires set in the same neighborhood
On Jan. 2, FCPS received a complicated report of an American flag burned in the 2100 block of Lager Street; in addition to a fire on the 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 on a vehicle in the 400 block of Stout Street; and a ditch fire to the east of the 300 block of Pint Street.
All of these locations are in the same subdivision.
On Jan. 4, there was a case that involved a vehicle fire that spread to another vehicle parked next to it and damaged a house in the 300 block of Toronto Street, which is also in the same area.
Investigators are working to determine if any of these crimes are bias-motivated.
FCPS said it has numerous detectives and officers working on these cases and is working closely with area residents to apprehend a suspect.
“We do not have any suspect description that we are able to share at this time,” FCPS told FOX31. “Anyone with information regarding these cases is asked to contact our tipline that we have dedicated to these cases.”
The tipline can be reached at 970-416-2825. People who wish to remain anonymous may also contact Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at (970) 221-6868 or crimestopperslarimer.org.
Arson, potential hate crimes, reported in late October
On Oct. 23, 2023, FCPS received a report of an LGBTQ Pride flag that was burned and caught a chair cushion on fire. That night, PFA responded to a grass fire in the open space area near the TimberVine neighborhood.
Less than an hour later, PFA and LCSO were dispatched to the Collins Aire Mobile Home Park for a vehicle that was fully engulfed by fire. During this incident, first responders also located a burning trash can nearby.
On Oct. 24, 2023, in the TimberVine neighborhood, there was a report of graffiti (pictured below) and an American flag that was burned. This was at a home near the open space where the grass fire had occurred the previous day.
On Nov. 12, 2023, four reports were made by residents in the TimberVine Neighborhood:
- A chair was lit on fire and spread to a residence, which a resident extinguished.
- A small grass fire was lit in a canal and graffiti was found on a fence nearby.
- Another Pride flag was burned and the home’s garage had graffiti on it.
- A scarecrow was burnt and a chair was stolen from that residence.
FCPS first announced the cases and sought community help through a press release on Nov. 15, 2023.
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