2 teens arrested in string of burglaries

Published 9:34 am Thursday, April 9, 2009

Two men are currently being held in the Mower County Jail pending charges in relation to a string of burglaries that included several towns in both Minnesota and Iowa.

The two male subjects, ages 19, were arrested outside Corky’s Corner in Adams in the early morning hours of Tuesday by Mower County Sheriff’s deputy Sgt. Jeff Ellis.

However, the case actually got its start in LeRoy. Ellis was responding a house fire in LeRoy when the two subjects, riding in a silver car, approached Ellis and asked for directions to Rochester, telling Ellis they were lost.

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Ellis gave them directions, and later in the night went to a medical which after clearing drove into Adams where he observed the same vehicle parked outside of Corky’s with the hood up and trunk and driver’s side door opened.

Ellis stopped, asked the men why they were in Adams and was told by the subjects that they were lost again and that a belt on their car came off.

Ellis observed a pry bar on the ground and questioned the men, finding that their stories didn’t match and after a search of the vehicle found cigarettes and DVD’s in the trunk.

The two men were then taken into custody.

According to the Mower County Sheriff’s Office, the two were responsible for burglaries in seven Minnesota towns and over six towns in Iowa. The sites included Luverne, Kiester, Ellendale, Wells, New Richland, Waldorf, St. Claire in Minnesota and in Iowa Northland, Forest City, Hickock, LIme Springs, Garner, Lake Mills and several little towns in Worth County.

Items taken in the burglaries included cash, cigarettes, DVDs and in one case tires. All the sites were businesses.

The suspects’ names have not been released because charges are pending.