Theft is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when a person is accused of taking something of value with the intent of not giving it back. With gas prices on the rise, no one is excited about spending the money to fill up their vehicle’s tank. It seems that one man found a way around that problem, and it landed him in jail. According to the report, police had been notified that stolen credit cards were being used to purchase gas at gas stations across Colorado. The total stolen purchases on these cards was $410,000 and it was all fuel purchases. Apparently, those accused (including the one man who has been arrested) have been using modified trucks to transport the gas. One man had gotten on law enforcement radar and when he was stopped, he had 750 gallons of diesel in his truck. The man was arrested and charged with Identity Theft, Cybercrime, and Theft.
Larimer County Theft Lawyer: Definition of Gas Theft in Colorado
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Theft – C.R.S. 18-4-401 – is:
(a) Intends to deprive the other person permanently of the use or benefit of the thing of value;
(b) Knowingly uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value in such manner as to deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;
(c) Uses, conceals, or abandons the thing of value intending that such use, concealment, or abandonment will deprive the other person permanently of its use or benefit;
(d) Demands any consideration to which he or she is not legally entitled as a condition of restoring the thing of value to the other person; or
(e) Knowingly retains the thing of value more than seventy-two hours after the agreed-upon time of return in any lease or hire agreement.
Most Theft cases are charged under subsection (a), which is likely what the man was charged with.
Sentence for Theft in Loveland and Estes Park
In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Theft can be charged as a petty offense, misdemeanor, or felony. It is charged based on the value of the item(s) taken. So, for the man above, if he was charged for the full $410,000 worth of gas, then he would be facing a class 3 felony. This level felony is punishable by 4 to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections and up to $750,000 in fines.
If you or someone you love has been charged with Theft, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best criminal defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 to schedule a free initial consultation. Together, we can protect your future.
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