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   Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk reports that on July 22nd 2024 at 8:21 p.m. the Cass County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a theft of fuel from a retailer in Hackensack, MN, valued at $259.55. Previously in the evening, there was a theft of fuel from a Backus, MN retailer with a reported value of $300.00. Information from the retailers was consistent with an individual filling barrels or drums in the bed of a Toyota pickup and leaving without paying for the fuel. This information also matched the description of a fuel theft reported on June 4th 2024, from a Remer, MN retailer, where the pickup was pulling a utility trailer with barrels on it. 

   Shortly after the report, Deputies located the described pickup on State 371 in Shingobee Township. A traffic stop was initiated and a female, Sapphire Torres, age 28, of Duluth, MN was arrested and transported to the Cass County Detention Center with formal charges pending for 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 suspects that additional fuel thefts, similar in this report, have occurred in the region and possibly in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin areas and encourages retailers with information to report any theft to their local law enforcement jurisdiction and have them contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office and speak with Investigator Robison for additional information and follow-up. 

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