Blotter: The Secret Service, Stolen Election Signs and Missing Money

Identity Theft

• Eden Prairie logistics company American Carriers reported that it and a Georgia company called Team Trucking had been the victims of identity theft Sept. 10. A man who claimed to be the Team Trucking owner made it appear as though the company had arranged for a pickup. American Carriers mailed out a $1,400 advance, a common practice in the trucking industry in order to cover front-end expenses like fuel. However, it turned out the man had stolen the identity of Team Trucking. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service also are investigating the case because there has been a rash of such cases.

Theft

• Police received five reports of stolen election signs between Sept. 5 and Sept. 16—including a sign that opposed the marriage amendment and signs supporting local candidates.
• The Wagner Way Walgreens manager told police a boy who came in with three other boys at about 9:30 a.m. Sept. 15 appeared to have shoplifted from the store. The manager saw the boy stick something in his pocket. When he confronted the boy, the juveniles left in a blue SUV. The manager later reviewed the security tapes and saw the boy take Coricidin, a cold and cough suppressant.
• A 26-year-old Woodland Drive man reported someone stole a single tire and rim from his 1998 Nissan Altima sometime between Sept. 14 and Sept. 15.
• A 76-year-old Mitchell Road woman said she discovered $200 missing from where it was hidden in her kitchen cupboard. She told police the money was stolen sometime between 1:30 p.m. Sept. 15 and 3 p.m. Sept. 16. Her grandson and his friends had been over earlier. When she went to pay bills, she noticed the money was gone.
• A Walmart loss prevention specialist caught a 30-year-old Carver woman trying to shoplift $49 worth of items from the store. The woman put Vagisil, hair ties, Advil, two shirts and a pair of shoes in her purse. She then went through the line, bought cigarettes and tried to leave the store.

Fraud

• A 41-year-old Eden Prairie man told police someone had made unauthorized charges on his debit card totaling $558 between Sept. 10 and Sept. 12. The man said he stopped at Wendy’s on Aug. 30. When he went to pay at another business, he realized his card was missing. He later picked the card up from Wendy’s, but he suspects an employee got the number while it was kept in the manager’s office.
• A 19-year-old Eden Prairie woman said she hadn’t received a car after wiring $2,200 to a Wisconsin eBay agent. She contacted the Wisconsin seller after seeing the listing. The seller directed her to wire the money to the eBay agent. After she failed to receive the vehicle, she discovered the agent had been implicated in other scams and sent a civil demand notice.

Commercial Vehicle Offense

• Officers arrested a driver on suspicion of not having a medical certificate in his possession after performing a commercial vehicle inspection at 9 a.m. Sept. 13 on Valley View Road. The medical certificate was needed to transport the goods he was carrying.