December 22, 2009 Coloradoan News

Fort Collins robberies, rapes up in early 2009

FBI statistics on Fort Collins also show dip in car thefts, aggravated assaults

BY TREVOR HUGHES
TrevorHughes @coloradoan.com

Reported robberies and rapes in Fort Collins for the first half of the year have increased, compared with the same period last year, but car thefts and aggravated assaults are down.

According to newly released FBI statistics, there were 31 robberies reported in Fort Collins in the first half of 2009, compared with 17 for the same period last year. And there were 51 reported forcible rapes for that period this year, compared with 37 last year.

Fort Collins Police Chief Dennis Harrison said he believes the poor economy is driving at least some of the increase in robberies, which a CSU sociology professor said might also be due in part to random variation.

Fort Collins has had eight reported bank robberies so far this year, compared with one in 2008. Harrison said his officers continue to work with the FBI and local banks. New technology has also helped: In several recent bank robberies in Fort Collins, police have been able to get a picture of the suspect within minutes thanks to modern bank security-camera systems.

Harrison said he believes the increase in reported rapes might be because of better outreach by anti-rape advocates, who are encouraging more victims to step forward. But he said "one is too many."

"I think Fort Collins is still a very safe city," Harrison said.

Michael Lacy, an associate professor of sociology at Colorado State University, said there's no question more people have been affected by crime this year than last. But he said he believes the increases - except for the robberies - might be attributable to "purely random factors."

"They look large, but with the exception of robbery, all of them are within the margin of chance variation. Any one of these things is subject to random variation from year to year."

For the first six months of the year, Fort Collins saw 268 reported violent crimes, compared with 256 in the same period last year. That's an increase of 4.7 percent, compared with the same period a year ago.

Lacy said the Fort Collins numbers are so small, relatively speaking, that it's hard to draw conclusions about trends and impacts.

Vicki Lutz, executive director of Crossroads Safehouse, said behind each reported crime is a victim. She said the number of reported rapes is a "pretty scary statistic" and said the safehouse has seen an "unprecedented increase" in requests for help.

Lutz said the safehouse, which serves women fleeing relationships, has converted an office and a sitting room in the safehouse into bedrooms so it can try to keep up with demand. Lutz said studies have repeatedly shown that so-called "stranger rapes" occur in 10 percent to 20 percent of cases.

"Just because you're married doesn't mean you can't be sexually abused by the person you are married to," Lutz said.

Overall, reported crime in America went down for the period, according to the FBI statistics. Nationally, violent crimes were down 4.4 percent for the period, and property crimes were down 6.1 percent. Nationwide, rape fell by 3.3 percent and robbery by 6.5 percent.

The FBI said there is one number going up across the country: bank robberies.

As of this time last year, Colorado had seen 135 bank robberies. To date this year, there have been about 189 bank robberies, Denver-based FBI spokesmen Dave Joly said. He said that trend is mirrored nationwide.

The Denver area alone had 14 bank robberies last week, Joly said.

"We are definitely seeing a spike through the holiday season, and the spike is nationwide during the holiday season," Joly said.

Fort Collins has had eight reported bank robberies this year, compared with one last year.

"That's a substantial increase," Joly said.

Per FBI policy, Joly declined to release the amount of money taken in bank robberies and said the FBI does not interpret its statistics, leaving that up to other experts. He said about 76 percent of bank robberies committed in Colorado last year were solved, and that the minimum sentence for a bank robbery is 20 years, with additional years added if a weapon is used.

Additional Facts

This is the link to Colorado's top 100 most wanted sex offenders.

Personal and Home Safety Tip, February 23, 2009

In recent months, Fort Collins police have seen several incidents of robberies where either known or unknown suspects have forced their way into a home at gun point in search of drugs. In two cases, the suspects believed the victims were on the medical marijuana list and were in search of medical marijuana.  In other incidents, the suspects were looking for meth, other drugs or cash. A brief recap of the known cases follows:
-    November 16, 2008, several unknown men were unsuccessful in their attempt to enter a home in the 2000 block of
Water Blossom Lane. Occupants of the home are medical marijuana dispensers.   
-    January 12, 2009, two men entered an apartment in search meth and money and killed 30-year-old Clinton M.
Hiney of Fort Collins and shot two other men at an apartment at 1221 University Avenue.  Two men have been
arrested in connection with the incident.
-    January 11, 2009, two men armed with handguns pushed their way into a home on the 3600 block of Big Dipper, in
search of medical marijuana.  When the robbery appeared to be non-productive, the suspects stole electronics,
cash and valuables.  
-    February 3, 2009 two known suspects forced their way into a home in the 1100 block of City Park Avenue in search
of cash.  The victims have been uncooperative in identifying the suspects who remain at large.

It does not appear the above cases are related which led investigators to believe there are several independent groups committing these types of robberies. Police also believe there may be other unreported cases of robberies which have occurred and have gone  unreported for various reasons.

Police remind citizens to use common sense and be diligent to their person safety before opening locked doors to unknown persons.  If a suspicious person attempts to gain entry into your home, call police.  If you have been victimized in the past and have not reported the incident to police or have information about the above incidents, contact police at 221-6540.  Police want citizens to be aware that these types of incidents have occurred so they can take necessary precautions to keep them from becoming an unintended victim of these types of crimes.  

CONTACT:    Rita Davis
Fort Collins Police Services
970-221-6628

Story updated: 1/7/2009 6:10 PM

Second suspect sought in church burglaries

By Jon Pilsner
Loveland Reporter-Herald

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that Ryan Lee Robert Davis had been arrested.

Police are asking the public for help in tracking down a man they’ve identified as a suspect in a string of church break-ins in Northern Colorado.

Police have identified Ryan Lee Robert Davis, 32, of Greeley, as a second suspect in numerous church burglaries.

Loveland detectives already arrested Timothy J. Mattox, 33, of Greeley, on Dec. 31 and executed a search warrant of his residence in Greeley after Crime Stoppers of Larimer County received a tip pointing them towards Mattox.

Mattox and Davis are believed to be connected to a Dec. 12 burglary of the Mountain View Presbyterian Church, 2500 N. Garfield Ave., and the Dec. 22 burglary of the First Christian Church, 2000 N. Lincoln Ave.

Anyone with information about Davis is asked to call Loveland Detective Paul Arreola at 962-2249, Greeley Detective Greg Tharp at 350-9533 or Crime Stoppers of Larimer County at 221-6868.

Police also said they have recovered and returned several items to the Mountain View Presbyterian Church that had been taken when it was burglarized on Dec. 12.

Some of those items were found after officers from Loveland, Greeley and Fort Collins searched both Mattox’s residence again and after executing a new search warrant on a different residence Tuesday.

The Weld County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday it would file charges against Mattox for five separate burglary cases of local Greeley churches.

Mattox is being held at the Larimer County Detention Center.

Jon Pilsner can be reached at 669-5050, ext. 539, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .