Fort Collins: Hooligans smash 17 cars with rocks

Rock-throwing vandals have caused an estimated $8,000 in damage in Fort Collins, police said.

So far 17 car owners in Fort Collins have reported rocks being thrown through windows of parked vehicles, according to a Fort Collins Police Department media release.

The vandalism happened between 7 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday in an area bordered by Overland Trail, Mulberry Street, Shields Street and Drake Road.

Several witnesses described a suspect car to investigators, and police have contacted three juveniles and an adult as suspects in the case.

No charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.

Teen steals car, gas, leads cops on 100-mile high-speed chase

A teenage girl was taken into custody Tuesday morning after leading the Colorado State Patrol on a nearly 100-mile chase, which exceeded more than 100 mph at times.

A spokesperson with the State Patrol says the incident started at 6:57 a.m. when the teen allegedly failed to pay for $35.05 in gasoline at a gas station in Arriba, which is about 20 miles east of Limon.

A trooper with the State Patrol spotted the car on westbound Interstate 70 and followed her green Grand Am onto I-70 towards the metro area. The State Patrol was forced to call off the chase before reaching Byers because the suspect was driving more than 100 mph and the volume of traffic on the highway was increasing.

The State Patrol requested the help of the Aurora Police Department, which set up “stop sticks” near I-70 and Tower Road, puncturing all four of the vehicle’s tires. The car came to a stop a short distance later near I-70 and Pena Boulevard at 7:55 a.m.

Another motorist on eastbound I-70 also hit the stop sticks, but the State Patrol says there were no injuries or accidents at the end of the chase.

The teen’s identity, or the charges she will face, were not immediately known. The State Patrol says the car she was driving was stolen from Westminster.

Fort Collins park hit by senseless vandalism

Someone took a machete or axe, walked down a path at Fort Collins’ newest community park and hacked down 19 trees Tuesday night, leaving city officials and local residents appalled by the destruction.

When Doug Kokes, a crew chief with the Fort Collins Park Department, arrived at Spring Canyon Community Park at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday he couldn’t believe the havoc the vandals had caused.

Strewn along a path in the park were a variety of trees, laying on their sides.

“It was disappointing. We tried to develop the park into a beautiful place,” said Kokes. “It is very disappointing.”

He said neighborhood residents are very upset, unable to comprehend why anyone would engage in such vandalism.

When the park opened in 2007 the young trees were an integral part of the park’s development.

Ralph Zentz, the city’s assistant forester, said he couldn’t believe what he saw when he got to the southwest Fort Collins park Wednesday morning.

“I saw the first two trees and said ‘this is bad’,” Zentz recalled. “Then I rounded a bend and saw eight more trees down.

“This is the city’s newest community park, right up against the foothills. It is really attractive. This is a sad, sad situation. I can’t comprehend what motivates people to do this,” said Zentz.

Summit County crime spree ends in arrest

Two juveniles in Summit County have been arrested after a string of thefts and vehicle break-ins near Breckenridge since February.

Both of the suspects are 15 years old. More suspects may also be involved in more than 20 thefts in recent months.

The suspects are charged with felony theft and are being held in a juvenile detention facility. The class 4 felony carries a possible prison sentence of from two to six years and fines from $2,000 to $500,000.

One of the suspects is also being charged with criminal attempt first-degree criminal trespass, which carries a possible prison sentence of from one to one-and-one-half years and a maximum fine of $100,000.

The thefts involved stolen vehicles, bicycles and vehicle trespasses to steal cash, credit cards and iPods. Most of the thefts have been near the Silver Shekel, Peak 7, and French Creek neighborhoods.

In each case the vehicles were unlocked.

The case is still under investigation.

Boulder vandals tracked via paint trail

A trail of paint led to the arrest of two men who allegedly splashed white paint on seven vehicles in Boulder early today.

Arrested were Boulder residents Jarrad McKay, 21, and Matthew Baker, 20, according to the Boulder Police Department.

They are being held for investigation of criminal mischief and theft.

According to investigators, a passer-by discovered a car covered with paint around 1 a.m. in the area of 17th Street and Aurora Avenue.

When Boulder officers arrived, they found five vehicles in an alley and two vehicles on the street splattered with white paint.

Police were able to follow a trail of paint to the home of one of the suspects in the 800 block of 17th Street.

There they contacted McKay and Baker, who had tell-tale signs of white paint on them, said police.

Both admitted they were involved in the vandalism and said they had stolen the paint from University Hill Elementary School, according to officers.

Senseless vandalism spree hits Denver suburbs

A vandalism spree struck almost 20 homeowners in Arapahoe County’s South Creek Subdivision early today, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.

Approximately $15,000 in damage was done to 19 residents who had graffiti spray-painted on their homes and, in some cases, their cars.

The words “Dyce” and “Rat” were sprayed onto the property located in the 16000 block of East Phillips Lane.

Deputies responded to the area at 6:30 a.m. on reports of numerous homes and vehicles being damaged.

The investigation into who caused the damage is ongoing, the sheriff’s department said in a statement.

Vandals trash Lakewood elementary school

Two teens were arrested early this morning after they allegedly ransacked a Lakewood elementary school, destroying school property valued at at least $20,000.

“They tore up the inside of the school,” said Lakewood Police Department spokesman Steve Davis.

Windows, computers, musical instruments and furniture were destroyed.

The vandals damaged the entire school including classrooms, offices, the library and hallways said Melissa Reeves, spokeswoman for the Jeffco Public Schools.

Davis said Lakewood police were notified by schools security officers at 3:50 a.m. that they believed there were vandals inside Stein Elementary School, 80 S. Teller St.

When police arrived, they could see lights being turned on and off and heard noises from inside the school.

A perimeter was established and a police dog was also brought to the scene.

A short time later, two suspects came out of the school, were confronted by police and ran away.

Officers chased the suspects for a few blocks before the teens were arrested. They were identified as Lee David Abeyta and Elvis Blackelk Vigil, both 18.

Davis said police are looking for a third suspect.

Abeyta and Vigil were booked at the Lakewood Police Department and then transferred to the Jefferson County Jail.

They are being held for investigation of second- and third-degree burglary, second-degree trespass, criminal mischief and conspiracy to commit a felony.

Davis said additional charges are likely.

Grafitti spree in Vail

VAIL, Colo.—A graffiti spree in the mountain resort of Vail resulted in about $10,000 in damage in a single day, and now three residents face felony charges.

Vail authorities say the residents went on a graffiti tear on Wednesday morning that damaged property belonging to the city and Vail Resorts.

Police used security cameras to identify the three suspects—20-year-old Margret Prowell, 20-year-old Robert Cooper and 19-year-old Jay Osborne.

All have been charged with felony burglary and mischief. They also face theft charges—police say the trio stole the cans of spray paint used in the vandalism.

Windows smashed at Trails Recreation Center

A juvenile suspected of breaking the windows of five entrance doors to the Trails Recreation Center in Arapahoe County was arrested shortly after 11:30 p.m. Sunday after area residents reported that someone was smashing windows at the center.

The Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Department said the initial report was phoned in at 11:31 p.m. and residents said the stone-thrower was an individual dressed in dark clothing.

Deputies searched the recreation center using a K9 unit but decided the individual had not actually entered the center at 16799 E. Lake Avenue.

Deputies soon located a young man matching the description of the suspect just to the south of the recreation center. He was detained until his father arrived.

He was then taken to his home where he was read his rights and questioned.

He was released pending the filing of charges for criminal mischief.

Damage to the recreation center was estimated at $8,000.

from the Denver Post.

Boulder frat boys getting smashed a lot

Members of a Boulder fraternity are fed up with vandalism at their University Hill house, and they’re taking steps to fight back.

Matt Ullrich, president of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity at 911 17th St., said Tuesday that the organization has been the target of multiple acts of vandalism in recent weeks.

“I’ve been here for three years, and I’ve never seen stuff this bad,” Ullrich said.

Ullrich, 20, said someone, either Friday night or early Saturday morning, used a rock to smash a window on the second floor of the ZBT house. The window backs up to the organization’s parking lot and a park behind University Hill Elementary School.

Boulder police are investigating a similar string of vandalism that was reported on University Hill early Saturday morning, although a police spokeswoman said no one reported the incident at the fraternity and so police are unsure if the events are related.

The weekend incident at the ZBT house is the second time in as many weeks that the fraternity has been targeted, Ullrich said. Last week, two windows at the house were broken, along with a sliding glass door that opens to a bedroom.

Earlier in the semester, the fraternity members found five cars in their private parking lot with broken side mirrors. Two cars had cinder blocks tossed through the windshields.