On February 11, Michael Lee Drake, 31 of Lanesboro, appeared before District Court Judge Matthew J. Opat. Drake is charged with Possession of Burglary or Theft Tools, a felony with a maximum criminal penalty of threes year in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. On February 10, a possible theft or vehicle tampering was allegedly reported in rural Lanesboro involving a suspect in a green coat and white four-door sedan. A sheriff’s lieutenant was able to locate the suspect vehicle and alleged suspect. The defendant was the passenger and eventually allegedly admitted he was going to remove a catalytic converter off another vehicle without permission (via Sawzall), but was unable to do so. At the residence of the attempted theft, the victim told another officer they had seen a white car drive by, then stop on a roadway near an abandoned pickup. A person (green coat) was observed running towards the vehicle, with tools, climbing under said vehicle.
Fillmore County District Court
