Officers honored for car theft busts

By Molly Miron

Bemidji Pioneer Editor

      Vehicle thefts plague the area, but the persistence of five officers earned them honors Thursday from the Anti-Vehicle Crime Association of Minnesota.

      Red Lake Conservation Officers Patrick Pierre and Tyson Nelson, and Red Lake Police Officer Maurice Lawrence accepted plaques, mugs and applause from Dale Krueger of the State Farm Insurance Special Investigative Unit.

      They were responsible for the arrest and conviction of a 17-year-old boy who stole a snowmobile from the Comfort Inn parking lot.

      Lawrence saw the boy dressed in a red sweater and blue jeans driving the snowmobile on the Red Lake Reservation. The clothing was inappropriate for minus-15-degree weather. The suspect fled on the snowmobile, but the next day Pierre and Nelson followed the fresh tracks and found the suspect.

      Nelson said the boy was still wearing the same clothes as he was the day before. He tried to start the snowmobile, but ended up running away on foot. Nelson caught him and arrested him.

      “I don’t know how he traveled that far dressed like that,” said Pierre.

      Pierre is a 28-year law enforcement veteran, who has served with Nett Lake and Red Lake Police and conservation forces.

      Nelson has served as a Red Lake conservation officer for three years and Lawrence has been on the force for six years.

      Beltrami County Deputies Terri Gunsalus and Bill Cross also received recognition from AVCAM for a stolen vehicle apprehension and conviction.

      On Dec. 10 in 28-below-zero weather, they received the report of a stolen vehicle as a result of a burglary Beltrami County Investigator Steve Andersen said.

      Cross followed the tracks cross country to U.S. Highway 71 and eventually found the car on County Road 22. Gunsalus followed footprints from the car to the thief’s house.

      “They knocked on the door and arrested the bad guy,” said Andersen.

      Andersen said Gunsalus also worked to calm the car owners, who had just been burglarized.

      Bemidji Police Investigator Mike Mastin, assigned to auto theft investigation, said the snowmobile caper was his first case. He praised the officers for perseverance, especially considering the severe cold while they were tracking the suspects.

      Krueger said his job is to work with law enforcement to recover stolen vehicles, save his company money and return property to the rightful owners.

      “I don’t think we recognize officers enough,” he said.