Oakdale Police Blotter: Teen Suspected of Stealing Keys, Vehicles

Police suspect that a 17-year-old stole multiple keys and at least one vehicle from Larson Diesel Services, located on Century Avenue north of Highway 36.

About $400 worth of keys to semi trucks were reported stolen Wednesday, Oct. 5. On the same day, someone at the business reported that a $15,000 street sweeper was stolen between 5 and 8 a.m.

Then on Saturday, Oct. 8, a complainant reported that a 17-year-old male was sitting in his girlfriend’s vehicle at the business. The teen was found to have 11 sets of keys believed to have been stolen from the business. He also had a flashlight, pliers, chisel, file, socket, knife and handcuff key. An officer believed one of the keys was to a street sweeper stolen on Oct. 3 and Oct. 5. The teen is also a suspect in another car theft, which occurred on Oct. 7. The teen was arrested, and declined to be interviewed.

The following incidents were also reported to Oakdale police Oct. 5-9:

Oct. 5:

• A total of $180 in cash was stolen from an unlocked gym locker at .
• A resident in the 6300 block of 13th Street reported that someone went into her open garage, and then stole a bag containing $400 in $1 bills from her vehicle. The incident occurred at 7:20 p.m. and the resident said she believed her car was locked. A witness said he saw a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black gloves run from the garage.

Oct. 6:

• A $60 bottle of cologne was stolen from a locker at .
• A scope and a knife with a total value of $120 were stolen from the trunk of an unlocked car parked in a driveway in the 3800 block of Gershwin Avenue between 11 p.m. Oct. 5 and 5:30 a.m. the next day. There was a smeared bloody thumbprint on the trunk.

Oct. 7:

• A man reported that another man wearing a skirt and ripped T-shirt who possibly had a bloody mouth was skipping in the 300 block of Grenadier Avenue. Police located the man in Landfall. He said he was just out enjoying nature, and his face had a large amount of lipstick on it.
• A complainant reported that someone entered his vehicle, parked in the 7900 block of Ninth Street Circle, and stole a $250 iPod Touch.

Oct. 8:

• A complainant at reported that between 10 p.m. Oct. 7 and 9:30 a.m. the next day, someone pried open the front door of the store, and punched three holes into the sheetrock to gain entry into neighboring . The tobacco shop’s owner was unsure how much inventory was stolen at the time of the report. The break-in caused $400 in property damage for Smokedale, and $501 in damage for the furniture store.
• Police arrested a 43-year-old Hastings man who was trying to flee after being caught shoplifting. Police found $376 worth of stolen items in his car. He had felony warrants out of Dakota, Sherburne and Wabasha counties. A 46-year-old woman who was with him had a body only warrant for drugs out of Dakota County. She was also arrested.

Oct. 9:

• Sometime between 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, and 2:30 a.m. the next day someone gained access to a car parked in the 6300 block of 15th Street through its sunroof and stole a $100 stereo faceplate, a $100 camera and $17 cash.
• A 28-year-old woman reported that she was at with her friend, who went missing. Police found the friend, also a 28-year-old woman, passed out in the women’s restroom.
• A Maplewood man turned in a wallet containing $400 cash that he had found at 15th Street and Geneva Avenue. Police were able to contact the owner, an Oakdale man, and return the wallet.
• Someone scratched a car parked in a driveway in the 2000 block of Helena Road deeply in multiple places causing $1,500 damage.
• A complainant saw a Vadnais Heights man dump two tires and rims on the former par three golf course in the 5500 block of Golfview Avenue. Police tracked down the man from his license plate number. He admitted to dumping the tires and agreed to retrieve them.
• A vehicle was stolen from the 6400 block of Upper 56th Street between 5 and 6 p.m., and was later recovered shortly afterward unoccupied in Stillwater. The car had been left unlocked, but the complainant had the only key to it. The car was returned to its owner.

The above items are taken from the . In all incidents where an arrest occurred, a charge is merely an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. The arrested person is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Incidents are listed in the order in which they were reported, not necessarily the order in which they occurred.