Pickup reported stolen is found days later, used in business theft
Oct. 18—A 36-year-old woman was arrested Sunday after police said she was found in a truck that had been reported stolen. Also in the truck were items reportedly stole from an area business, police said.
Rochester police were called Wednesday, Oct. 13, for a report of a truck taken from the Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham, 3595 Commercial Drive SW. The owners of the vehicle told police that they were in town for medical treatment when their 2012 Ford F150 was taken from the hotel, according to Capt. Casey Moilanen.
A few days later, police were called to Leitzen Concrete at 4019 U.S. Highway 14 W for a report of a burglary. When employees started arriving about 6:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, they discovered someone inside one of the buildings. The person left on foot. Employees found that "numerous electrical type items" were damage or stolen and it appeared as though thieves were attempting to steal wiring and copper pipes.
A day later, a person called police to provide surveillance footage of the vehicle believed to have been used in the burglary. The caller also told officers they thought the vehicle was parked behind Groome Transportation, 821 Civic Center Drive NW. Officers went there and found the suspect vehicle, which turned out to be the stolen Ford F150, according to Moilanen.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested. She was identified by police as 36-year-old Laurissa Bale. She was booked into the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on charges of felony theft of a motor vehicle, felony possession/receiving stolen property and gross misdemeanor carrying a BB gun in public.
A second person in the vehicle, a man, was not arrested. Moilanen said the man could face charges as the investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
