–The investigation into a series of thefts and burglaries in Kossuth County and across the border in Martin County, Minnesota has resulted in a pair of arrests.
According to the Kossuth County Sheriff’s Office, Deputies received a report on Sunday, November 10th about two side-by-side ATV’s that had been stolen out of Martin County. At that time, Law Enforcement agencies in Kossuth County were already investigating several reported burglaries in the Algona and Whittemore area.
Deputies eventually gathered enough information to obtain a search warrant for the residence of 29-year-old Dakota Mullen, located at 302 210th Street, just east of Whittemore.
Stolen property from the burglaries in Minnesota and Kossuth County were seized during the execution of that search warrant, including power tools and one of the two ATV’s stolen in Minnesota. The second ATV was eventually recovered at a rural residence near Corwith.
Mullen was arrested in Fairmont, Minnesota while in possession of a firearm and a motorcycle that had been reported stolen out of Algona. He was booked into the Martin County Jail on 2 counts of Felony Theft, 2 counts of Felony Receiving Stolen Property and one count of Illegal Possession of Ammunition, an Aggravated Misdemeanor. Mullen also has warrants for his arrest in Kossuth County stemming from this investigation.
Kossuth County Deputies have also arrested 38-year-old Kenneth Benard of Oklahoma in connection with this case. He was booked into the Kossuth County Jail on a charge of 1st Degree Theft, a Class C Felony.
Deputies in Kossuth and Martin counties, along with members of the Algona and Fairmont Police Department’s worked together to gather evidence in this case. The estimated value of the recovered stolen property in the case is nearly $50,000. Officials say the investigation is ongoing and more charges are possible.
