Propane tanks stolen in Dalton

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent 

A small tractor and other items were destroyed in a shed fire Feb. 7 north of Urbank and northwest of Parkers Prairie. The fire was called in to authorities at 9:51 a.m.

Sheriff deputies said the fire was believed to have started near a wood stove in the shed. Responding to the scene of the fire were firefighters from Vining, Parkers Prairie and Millerville.

No injuries were reported and a dollar amount of losses was not immediately available.

Scam reported, $38,000 in losses

A resident who lives near Highway 4 in northwestern Otter Tail County reported on Feb. 7 losing money due to a scam totaling $38,000. 

The scam victim told sheriff deputies about finding a listing for a backhoe, appearing to a legitimate business. The $38,000 was wired and then it became evident this was a scam. 

The male scam victim and his wife are unlikely to recover the money from their bank.

Credit card fraud

Sheriff deputies, on Feb. 4, reported that a county resident informed the sheriff office about fraudulent charges on a credit card totaling $752. The call came in from an undisclosed location.

Credit card fraud is a form of identity theft when criminals make purchases or obtain cash in a person’s name. This can be with an existing account via physical theft of the credit card or by the criminal accessing account numbers and/or PIN numbers. 

Criminals also open new credit card accounts in the person’s name.

Propane tanks stolen in town of Dalton

Two suspects are being pursued following the theft of three 30-pound propane tanks and five 20-pound propane tanks in the community of Dalton in southwestern Otter Tail County.

The call came into the sheriff office on Feb. 3. A $2,500 cage at a local business was damaged during the theft and will need repairs.

One injury in traffic accident

Sheriff deputies, on Feb. 4, reported the injury of one person during a traffic accident close to 10:30 p.m. on Interstate 94 in southwestern Otter Tail County.

This was a single-vehicle rollover. Assisting the county sheriff office were members of the Minnesota State Highway Patrol.