Fuel theft arrest could be part of bigger investigation, authorities say

A 28-year-old Duluth woman has been arrested in connection to a theft of fuel case in Cass County. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office suspects that additional fuel thefts have occurred in the region, including possibly northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin.

According to the Cass County Sheriff, there were two reports of fuel theft on July 22. At 8:21 p.m. authorities learned that fuel, valued at $259.55 had been taken from a retailer in Hackensack, Minnesota. Sheriff Bryan Welk says there was another report of theft of fuel just 10 minutes away in Backus. This one had a value of $300.00.

The retailers told authorities that a person was filling barrels or drums in the bed of a Toyota pickup and leaving without paying for the fuel. The Sheriff Welk said this information also matched the description of a fuel theft reported on June 4th in Remer, Minnesota. In that incident, authorities say a pickup was pulling a utility trailer with barrels on it.

Deputies located the described pickup on State 371 in Shingobee Township, and a woman from Duluth was arrested. She is facing formal charges of 1 count of possession of burglary or theft tools, 3 counts of theft of motor fuel from retailer, and 1 count of tampering with a motor vehicle.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging retailers with information to report any theft to their local law enforcement agency and have them contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.