Rejection is hard to take and people respond to it very differently. One man took it to an extreme level when he allegedly burned down the house of a woman who turned him down on Facebook. The man was attempting to start a relationship with a woman who was an acquaintance, but the single mother indicated she was not interested. In response to her disinterest, he went to her home, found an unlocked door, and started a fire in the woman’s bedroom. Luckily, the woman and her son were not home at the time. Now, the man and is facing Burglary and Arson charges.
What is Burglary in Fort Collins?
Most people think Burglary has an element of Theft in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park. However, Theft does not always have to be involved. C.R.S 18-4-203 – Second Degree Burglary – is defined by Colorado law as:
Basically, Burglary involves two things:
- Unlawfully entering or remaining in a building with
- Intent to commit another crime
The intent to commit a crime element applies to any crime, not just Theft. In the example above, the man allegedly committed Burglary because he unlawfully entered the woman’s home in order to set it on fire. Just the unlawful entry would be Trespassing, but with the added Arson crime, it becomes Burglary. 2nd Degree Burglary is a class 4 felony, but becomes a class 3 felony if it is the Burglary of a dwelling (home), like in the case above.
What is Arson in Larimer County?
Colorado law defines C.R.S. 18-4-102 – First Degree Arson – as:
The man above is accused of purposely setting fire to the woman’s house. A house is considered an occupied structure, which is why it would be considered 1st Degree Arson, a class 3 felony in Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County.