Steamboat Man Faces Arson Charge After Burning Documents in Chief Theater Toilet

Steamboat Springs —“Knew it was on the fence,” Cameron Lichnovsky told a Steamboat Springs police officer, explaining why he felt comfortable entering the Chief Theater.

The 33-year-old man is now facing charges for arson, burglary, and criminal mischief after allegedly breaking into the historic downtown building, lighting a fire in the bathroom toilet, and leaving his mark on the walls.

According to an arrest affidavit reported by the Steamboat Pilot, Lichnovsky was taken into custody on Friday, July 31. The charges stem from an incident on Wednesday, July 29, when a police officer was dispatched to the theater following reports of a burglary.

The story unfolded through a series of discoveries made by staff and the responding officer. An employee found a container holding “documents and miscellaneous items as well as a sledgehammer and crowbar” near an access hatch on the roof. The tools had been used to pry open that hatch, a recurring point of contention for theater staff who have added “extra locking mechanisms” because they “continuously found them to be open.”

Inside the building, the officer spotted large pentagram-style graffiti on the interior walls. While this specific style had been reported in a previous call to the department in mid-March, this time there was fuel for suspicion: miscellaneous documents were found burnt inside the bathroom toilet, along with burn damage to the fixture itself.

The officer also located a book titled “The Manufacture of Explosives” and a black notebook with red lettering. Inside the notebook were symbols labeled with names, including Lichnovsky’s.

When the officer approached Lichnovsky in downtown Steamboat Springs, the suspect admitted he had stayed at the theater a few months prior. He explained that he entered to “get warm” and used a tarp to stay cozy inside.

Lichnovsky confirmed he lit the fire in the toilet and sprayed the symbols on the walls, telling the officer they referred to his name.

The question for locals isn't just about one man’s nighttime wanderings, but what it means for a building that has seen repeated break-ins. The affidavit notes that prior to Lichnovsky’s arrest, another officer had observed pentagram graffiti in mid-March with “burnt pieces of paper in the middle of it.” Back then, there were no leads. Now, there is a suspect, a sledgehammer, and a class 2 felony arson charge.

Lichnovsky faces burglary in the second degree, a Class 5 felony, and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor.

“It’s not every day you get charged with arson for warming up in the bathroom,” Lichnovsky said, acknowledging the unique nature of his stay. “But I think the math holds up.”