Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Police in Forest Lake marked the end of 2004 with a series of apparent daytime forced-entry burglaries, Chief of Police Clark Quiring said.

On Dec. 30, police were called to the 23000 block of Henna Ave. N. where a homeowner reported a forced entry burglary that resulted in the theft of jewelry, DVDs, music CDs, video games and Christmas gifts. It was one of three burglary reports that day.

Police were called to the 7900 block of 230th St. N. where burglars had kicked open a door and entered the home. A pillow case stuffed with CDs was found near a basement door, leading police to conclude the burglar may have been scared off.

The third burglary on Dec. 30 involved a forced-entry incident at a home in the 900 block of SW 5th Ave. where a door had been kicked in. An alarm was triggered, however, and nothing was believed missing, police said.

On Dec. 28, police were called to the 200 block of SW 11th Ave. where tools valued at $1100 were stolen from a garage.

On Dec. 31, police investigated a report of an attempted burglary in the 5000 block of N. 207th St. where entry to the home was not successful.

Youth breaks leg

A 12-year-old Forest Lake boy broke his right leg in a collision involving two snowmobiles here Sunday, Jan. 2.

Police were called to the 8200 block of North Shore Trail N. for the crash on Third Lake near Willow Point. The boy was taken to Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center in Wyoming for treatment. The 12-year-old boy driving the second snowmobile was not hurt in the crash.

The boyís father was ticketed for failure to register the snowmobile.

Juveniles ticketed

Four area juveniles who attempted to mix alcohol with some fun on the lake ran amiss of the law on Dec. 28.

Police were called to a lake access on Third Lake at 11:37 p.m. after fishermen reported they were approached by two males claiming to be DNR conservation or city police officers. The ice anglers were ordered to empty their pockets and show IDs, Quiring said. No items were taken.

City police investigating the report stopped an ATV matching the description given by the fishermen. The ATV carried four area juveniles.

Two were ticketed for impersonating an officer.

The driver was ticketed for underage drinking and driving and two of the passengers were ticketed for underage consumption of alcohol.

More bogus bills

Quiring said the rash of phony money turning up at city stores has intensified.

During the past week, police received six counterfeit bills from area businesses.

Single counterfeit $20 bills were spent at Taco Bell, 1279 W. Broadway Ave.; Holiday, 1208 W. Broadway Ave.; and Mainstreet Bank, 1850 S. Lake St. Two counterfeit $20 bills were found in the dayís receipts at Target, 358 SW 12th St.

One counterfeit $10 bill turned up at Wal-Mart, 200 SW 12th St., the chief said.

The bills were turned over to the Secret Service for additional investigation.

Year out, Year in

The chief reported the Forest Lake Police Department ended 2004 with 13,175 calls for service. That compares to the 2003 call total of 12,785.

Police here made their last call of 2004 to investigate a report of juvenile mischief at two city locations where area youth said another group of youth threw restaurant cream cups at their vehicle.

The first call of 2005 came at 12:19 a.m. on Jan. 1 to 655 SW 1st Ave. to investigate a report of a fight involving three or four individuals. The combatants at the New Yearís Eve party had halted their alleged bout, the chief said, and police cleared the scene after writing two tickets for underage consumption of alcohol.

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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