You don’t hear that much about burglaries at ski areas, but they do happen.
On August 7th, Johnathan Edward Lee was arrested by the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office for trespassing onto Monarch Mountain’s property and breaking into the base lodge. He was apprehended after the Colorado ski area shared video footage of him breaking into the lodge, causing damage to the facility, and then stealing stuff from it. He was charged with Burglary and Possession of a Controlled Substance but was released on bond.
As the investigation into the first burglary continued, it was discovered that Jonathan was involved in another prior burglary at Monarch Mountain and at an unspecified location in the town of Nathrop. This time around, he was charged with Second Degree Burglary and Theft for the Monarch situation. For the crimes committed in Nathrop, he was charged with Second Degree Burglary, Theft, and Criminal Mischief.
His bond this time around was set at $2500 for the second theft at Monarch Mountain, and $3000 for the Nathrop situation.
It’s a major bummer to hear about this happening, especially at an independent ski area like Monarch. Every expense matters, so having the lodge broken into multiple times is a big blow for them. I feel like I shouldn’t have to remind people this, but please don’t burglarize a ski area. They have security guards and systems, and they’ll make you look like an idiot.
Image Credits: Monarch Mountain
