CAWPS

Minnesota/Mahnomen County

Episode 6 · Posted October 4, 2026

Almost All

A crow leaves a resort dock with $1,570 in fishing tackle. Days later he calls the owner to apologize, sends a picture, then video calls to show it.

Alleged

What the complaint alleges

This episode is about a 35-year-old Minnesota man.Here is what the criminal complaint says happened.

  • At about 9:43 a.m. on July 30, 2026, a Mahnomen County sheriff's deputy was informed of a theft at a resort, according to the complaint.
  • A man told the deputy that his boat was on the other side of the dock where gas tanks had been taken, and that he then realized his fishing tackle boxes were missing.
  • He reported missing a soft tackle bag valued at $40, miscellaneous fishing tackle valued at $1,500 and an electronics adapter part valued at $30, for a total of $1,570.
  • According to the complaint, the accused had been identified as the suspect in the gas tank theft, which is documented in a separate report, and admitted taking the gas tanks.
  • The owner messaged a friend of the accused, who agreed to talk with him about returning the items.
  • The accused then contacted the owner, apologized for taking his things and sent him a picture of the items, according to the complaint.
  • He also video called the owner and showed him a tackle box and tackle.
  • The friend later met the owner in Fargo and returned the tackle boxes and items. Almost all of the items had been returned, the complaint states.
Where
A resort in Mahnomen County, Minnesota
When
July 30, 2026
Charges
Felony theft (Minn. Stat. 609.52, subd. 2(a)(1))
Filed
September 25, 2026
Status
Charged by summons. The complaint was filed on September 25, 2026. There has been no conviction.

A complaint is an accusation. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The deputies' dialogue in the video is made up. The garage in the video call is invented; the complaint does not say where he called from. The crow has no subtitled line because the complaint does not quote him directly.

The paperwork, explained

Transcript
  1. On screenMahnomen County, Minnesota.
  2. Deputy DaleMissing: fishing tackle. $1,570.
  3. Deputy LyleFor tackle?
  4. Deputy DaleIt's Minnesota.
  5. Deputy LyleThat's fair. My tackle box is in my will.
  6. On screenDAYS LATER
  7. Deputy DaleSuspect called the victim to apologize!
  8. Deputy LyleThat's nice.
  9. Deputy DaleHe sent a picture.
  10. Deputy LyleOf what?
  11. Deputy DaleThe tackle.
  12. Deputy LyleHe sent the man a picture of his own tackle.
  13. Deputy DaleThen he video called.
  14. Deputy LyleTo show what?
  15. The crow[caws]
  16. Deputy DaleThe tackle.
  17. Deputy DaleItems returned in Fargo.
  18. Deputy LyleAll of it?
  19. Deputy DaleForm says almost all.
  20. Deputy LyleAlmost. What's missing?
  21. Deputy DaleForm doesn't say.
  22. Deputy LyleSo we're done.
  23. Deputy DaleFelony theft. We mailed him a letter.
  24. Deputy LyleTwelve months, Dale.
  25. Deputy DaleCan I keep the tackle box?
  26. Deputy LyleNo.

Is this about you, or has the case changed? Ask us to update or remove it. It is free.