Fort Collins Theft Attorney
Porch Pirates Foiled by Booby Trapped Package

A man created a booby trapped box to deter porch pirates from stealing his packages, which is charged as Theft in Fort Collins.

Taking something that doesn’t belong to you is charged as Theft in Fort Collins and Larimer County. Because the Christmas season is upon us, you often see packages sitting on people’s front porches, recently delivered by the post office, UPS, or FedEx. Across the country, residents have been complaining about ‘porch pirates,’ people stealing packages off their front porch. Many have installed cameras, but that doesn’t really stop a thief. One man took matters into his own hands and created a booby-trapped package that, when picked up, shoots a 12-guage shotgun blank. It scares the thief and you can bet they don’t take that package!

Larimer County Theft Lawyer: Definition of Theft

The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Theft– C.R.S. 18-4-401 – is:

A person commits theft when he or she knowingly obtains, retains, or exercises control over anything of value of another without authorization or by threat or deception; or receives, loans money by pawn or pledge on, or disposes of anything of value or belonging to another that he or she knows or believes to have been stolen, and:

(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.

Basically, Theft is taking something from someone else, with the intent of never giving it back.

Porch Pirates Theft Charges in Fort Collins and Loveland

In Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park, Theft can be a petty offense, misdemeanor, or felony depending on the value of the items taken. For example, if the package stolen had $10 worth of items in it, then it would be charged as a petty offense Theft, punishable by fines and restitution. If, however, the package was worth $7,000, then it would be a class 5 felony, punishable by a sentence to DOC.

If you or someone you love has been charged with Theft, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best Fort Collins defense attorneys from the O’Malley Law Office at 970-658-0007 today. Together, we can protect your future.

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