On Sunday, May 31, 2020, deputies responded to a burglary at the Sinclair Station in Freeport. The burglary was reported at 6:08 a.m. by one of the workers, who was hiding in the store while this was occurring.
The clerk arrived early and was inside prepping for the day. She said she saw a person dressed in black and wearing a mask near the front door, but didn’t initially think much of it. A few minutes later, she noticed the male and he was carrying an ax. She hid behind the food prep counter in the kitchen area.
The male, along with a female in a pink sweatshirt, came to the front door. The male used the ax to break the glass out of the door. The male entered the store while the female remained outside on lookout duty. While in the store, the male took numerous lottery tickets and cigarettes. They left the store and ran to the east. They weren’t a hulking couple as the male was described as 5’2” to 5’3” and the female was described as being 5’ and wearing a red mask.
It’s important to note the clerk thought the person who entered the store was a male, but it’s possible, given the height, that it could have been a female. Sgt. Pat Nechanicky from the Melrose Police Department responded to assist. Sgt. Jason Spoden of the Cold Spring Police Department and his K9 partner responded to conduct a track.
After the scene was secured, Sgt. Nechanicky returned to Melrose. On his way back he located the two plastic lottery display cases, minus the lottery tickets, on the county road east of Melrose.
Lt. Vic Weiss and Investigator Troy Jansky responded to take over the investigation. Several stores and businesses in Freeport were contacted for video evidence as well as stores along I-94 in case the two suspects stopped at any other locations along the way.
An ax is not your typical burglary or breaching tool, unless you are a firefighter, so that certainly makes this burglary a little unique, along with the fact an employee was inside the store. Some masks were recovered on the Wobegon Trail by Hennen Lumber later on in the morning.
Anyone with information on this burglary is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 320-251-4240.
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