Posted: 12/21/04
Juvenile sentenced in gun theft case
A 15-year-old Caledonia male who was charged with second and third degree burglary and theft of firearms on October 6 has been sent to a Juvenile Department of Corrections placement.
Juvenile Court Judge James Fabian sentenced the youth on December 14 in Caledonia following a plea agreement.
The juvenile pled guilty to one count of burglary in the third degree, a felony; and one count of misdemeanor theft.
The placement was administered because he faced four different felony level cases and was on probation on some other offenses, Assistant Houston County Attorney Suzanne Harnack said on December 17.
A plea agreement has also been reached with 14-year-old male in the case. He will appear in court for this on December 21.
A plea offer has been sent to a 16-year-old female in the case, but no date for a settlement has been set, Harnack said.
The three youths were arrested in Goodhue County on October 1 after driving off from a gas station in La Crescent without paying.
It was later determined that the car they were driving had been stolen in Caledonia. In the car were four firearms stolen from a Caledonia home on September 30.
The youths were each charged in Houston County with burglary in the second degree, a felony; burglary in the third degree, a felony; and four separate theft of a firearm charges, each of which is a felony.
The names cannot be made public because they were under the age of 16 at the time of the incident.
Another car stolen in Caledonia
In another police matter, a vehicle was reported stolen in Caledonia on December 16.
Don Daniels of La Crosse, Wisconsin, told city police that it had been parked by Rud Trucking, and had been stolen within the last 10 days.
Police ran a check on the vehicle and located it that same day in Vernon County, Wisconsin. It had been found there the previous day and towed to an impoundment yard.
The keys were in the vehicle, which has been the case for several other vehicles stolen in recent weeks in the city.
Caledonia Police Chief Duane St. Mary said people should take their keys out and lock their vehicles. Thefts like this are usually kids doing it for kicks, he added.
Police are investigating the thefts, St. Mary said, and an arrest could be coming soon on at least one.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com