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A man that police say tried to break into an elementary school early Tuesday morning then later that morning set a fire at his home has been arrested.
Richard L. Beebe, 18, of 118 10th St. N.W., was arrested by Fort Dodge police and charged with third degree attempted burglary for trying to get into Feelhaver Elementary School, 1300 14th Ave. N., according to court records.
He was also charged with first degree arson and third degree criminal mischief for the incident at his home, court records show.
Police reported that he tried to break into the school between 1 a.m. and 1:15 a.m. Tuesday. In a criminal complaint filed against him, officers wrote that Beebe "broke off access control key readers with the intent of entering the property and consuming food and sleeping."
Josh Porter, superintendent of the Fort Dodge Community School District, said the break-in attempt had no effect on school operations.
"They never got into the building," he said. "They broke a couple of key readers,. They were fixed that morning and we went along with our day as normal."
Beebe's morning continued with another incident. In the criminal complaints, police reported that between 8 a.m. and 8:24 a.m. Tuesday, he set a fire on the porch of his home. Officers reported that there was a reasonable expectation that people were in the home when he started the fire.
The fire was apparently small and did not result in a Fire Department response.
Beebe made his initial appearance in Webster County Magistrate Court Wednesday morning.
Magistrate Brandy R. Lundy scheduled a Sept. 11 preliminary hearing. She set bond for Beebe at $27,000 cash only.
Lundy also issued orders prohibiting him from being on school district property and from having any contact with people living in the 10th Street Northwest home.