While aspiring chicken farmers everywhere understand the yearning of owning a chicken coop, one man apparently decided to jump start his chicken farming career in a less than legal way. A Grand Junction man allegedly stole a chicken coop full of chickens. Police were able to recover the chicken coop in the backyard of the Mesa County man, but unfortunately for the original owner, the chickens were nowhere to be found. Hopefully, they did not become victims of ‘fowl’ play and end up in chicken soup. The man was arrested and charged with Theft.
What is Theft in Larimer County?
Theft – C.R.S. 18-4-401 – is defined by Colorado law as:
(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 in Larimer, Boulder, and Grand County, is taking something of value from someone without their permission and with the intention of never giving it back. Because the man took the chicken coop without the owner’s permission, and intended to keep the coop as his own, he was charged with this crime.
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Missing Chickens: What is the Sentence for Theft in Fort Collins?
Theft can be charged as a petty offense, misdemeanor, or felony depending on the value of the item that was taken:
Petty and Misdemeanor Theft Offenses:
| Class 1 Petty Offense | Class 3 Misdemeanor | Class 2 Misdemeanor | Class 1 Misdemeanor | |
| Item Value or Price Range | Less than $50 | $50 to $299 | $300 to $749 | $750 to $1,999 |
| Maximum Penalty | *$500 fine*6 months jail | *$750 fine*6 months jail | *$1,000 fine*12 months jail | *$5,000 fine*18 months jail |
| Class 6 Felony | Class 5 Felony | Class 4 Felony | Class 3 Felony | Class 2 Felony | |
| Item Value or Price Range | $2,000 to $4,999 | $5,000 to $19,999 | $20,000 to $99,999 | $100,000 to $999,999 | $1,000,000 or more |
| Maximum Penalty | *$100,000 fine*18 months prison | *$100,000 fine*3 years prison | *$500,000 fine*6 years prison | $750,000 fine*12 years prison | *$1,000,000 fine*24 years prison |
Because the chicken coop was valued at $1,200, the man would be facing a class 1 misdemeanor in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park. This level of misdemeanor is punishable with up to 18 months in Larimer County Jail and $5,000 in fines.