Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Burglars were busy in Forest Lake during the past week hitting businesses, homes and vehicles.

Police Sgt. Ron Hanegraaf said three businesses were hit by burglars while two homes were hit by nighttime burglars who entered unlocked doors of occupied homes.

Two businesses at the new commercial center at 555 W. Broadway Ave. were targets the night of July 28.

Mansettiís Pizza reported a forced-entry burglary that resulted in the loss of $150-200 in cash.

Fantastic Sams was also hit the same evening. The forced-entry burglary resulted in the theft of $200 in cash.

Both businesses suffered property damage from the forced-entry.

At Natureís Image Gallery, 95 SW 8th Ave., five pistols with total value of $4000 were reported stolen from the gun shop. Some $200 in cash was also taken.

According to police, the burglary took place between the close of business on July 28 and Monday morning. Police said forced-entry was gained to the interior entry way to the gun shop.

Residential burglaries were reported Monday that took place in the 200 block of SW 3rd St. and 300 block of SW 4th Ave.

In the report from 3rd St., the home occupant said a purse containing cash, jewelry and other personal items was taken from a kitchen counter. The theft was discovered at 3 a.m. when the resident got up to let a dog out the back door.

In the report from 4th Ave., the homeowner at 5:36 a.m. discovered a wallet and purse containing cash and personal items were missing from a kitchen counter. Entry was made to the home through an unlocked sliding patio door.

Hanegraaf said police are also investigating a series of reports of thefts from vehicles and vandalism to cars and trucks.

In one report Monday, a Forest Lake man reported the theft of golf clubs and equipment valued at $1300 from Castlewood Golf Course, 7050 Scandia Trail N. Items were stolen from the back of a truck that was parked in the golf course parking lot overnight in late July.

Hanegraaf said police were also investigating stolen auto reports on Monday from 7050 Scandia Trail N., 21765 Harrow Ave. N. and 21311 Heath Ave. N.

Novak Pontiac, 131 SW 19th St., reported the theft of tires and rims with total value of $4000 from two vehicles on Monday. The tires were taken from a dealership vehicle and a customer vehicle, police said.

Indiana calling

In another crime report, police in Indiana recovered a pickup and an ATV that had been stolen in Forest Lake on July 28.

Police in Forest Lake said Pacific Management, 22035 Iden Ave. N., reported the theft of a 1999 GMC Sierra pickup from the residence.

An ATV four-wheeler was stolen the same evening from 21289 Iverson Ave. N.

On Friday, police here were notified by police in LaPorte City, IN, that the pickup and ATV had been recovered and three people were in custody.

Held in Indiana on charges of receiving stolen property were Dennis Lee Casteel, 46, of 268 NW 3rd St., Forest Lake, Geoffrey Adam McCloskey, 24, of 14820 N. 62nd St., Stillwater, and a 17-year-old female from Oakdale.

Strange but true

Hereís another one from the strange but true department.

Forest Lake officers were called to the eastern border of Forest Lake and New Scandia Township on TH-97 at 7:58 a.m. Saturday to investigate a citizen report of a possible medical incident.

At the scene, police encountered George T. Lindgren, 85, of 10990 Scandia Trail N., Scandia, who was on a ladder with a hacksaw and attempting to take down a Forest Lake highway population sign, police said.

When police asked Lindgren what he was doing, the Scandia man said he was repairing the sign, police said. Lindgren later said the sign did not belong there, police said.

Police said they found four bolts that held the sign in place had been cut with the hacksaw.

Lindgren was issued a ticket for criminal damage to property and told not to tamper with signs again. Police attempted to temporarily secure the sign until a MnDOT work crew could complete the repairs.

Hanegraaf said police have received other reports of sign tampering in the past in the same area, but had made no arrests.

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Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605