Car Theft Suspect Allegedly Trapped Dog In Home He Set On Fire
LONGMONT, Colo. (CBS4) - A Lafayette man is behind bars after a series of crimes on Wednesday in Boulder County and Weld County.
Deputies arrested Frank Duran, 29, on Wednesday in Boulder County near the home they suspect he lit on fire after allegedly stealing at least two different cars.
Weld County officials said Wednesday's crime spree started in Frederick. They say Duran arrived in Frederick's Longview Estates neighborhood in what is believed to have been a car that was stolen out of Denver.
First he allegedly tried to break into one home unsuccessfully. Then they said he threatened a different homeowner with a knife and forced his way inside that house while the homeowner and his juvenile daughter were inside. He then allegedly stole the owner's car keys and drove off in the owner's sedan.
Some time later Boulder deputies found that sedan near Highway 287 in the Prospect neighborhood in the southern part of Longmont.
While they were on scene they received reports about suspicious activity at a home in nearby Niwot.
Investigators believe Duran broke into that home and started a fire. The home is located on the 500 block of Murray Street.
Officials said the fire was started on the stove using a bottle of oil.
A firefighter who was trying to help put out the fire said he discovered that homeowner's small dog in the bathroom. The dog, a pomerenian named Cujo, had been trapped in a basket and placed in the bathtub with the shower water running on it.
"I think losing Cujo would have hurt my mom more than anything else in the world and I couldn't imagine seeing that happen," said the victim's son Ryan Noterman.
"He was definitely shaken up at first but he's good. He's wagging his tail and running around now, thankfully," said Noterman.
Duran was arrested outside the home in another stolen car.
Authorities said there were hypodermic needles found in the first two stolen cars Duran allegedly drove.
Duran is tentatively facing multiple charges including burglary, robbery and menacing.
"We're just lucky enough that the house didn't burn down that nobody was injured is the real thing we can take from this," said Noterman.
Additional Resources
Officials with the Boulder County Sheriff's Office released the following statement about this case:
If anyone has information about these, or any other crimes that may be associated with this incident they are asked to contact the Boulder or Weld County Sheriff's Office.
