Purse Reported Stolen in Smash-and-Grab at Olmsted County Park

Eyota, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a smash-and-grab purse theft reported at an Olmsted County park this week.

Get our free mobile app

Sheriff’s Captain Tim Parkin said deputies were dispatched to Chester Woods Park on the report of a theft on Wednesday. The theft was reported around 2:30 p.m.

Parkn said deputies met with a woman who reported unloading a vehicle and launching a boat into the water around 11 a.m. She then reported receiving a notification on her phone regarding unauthorized purchases charged to her credit cards less than an hour after getting on the water.

Chester Woods Park/Facebook

When she returned to shore the woman found a window of the vehicle she arrived in had been broken out and that her purse was missing. Parkin said the unauthorized charges on the woman’s credit cards occurred at stores in Rochester.

Deputies found her purse and other personal items in the ditch off of 50th Ave. Southeast on Thursday. Parkin said the short time between the woman heading out on the water and the first fraudulent charge on the credit card indicates the suspect could’ve been watching the woman unloading the vehicle.

Google

So far no arrests have been made, however Parkin is hopeful investigators can identify the suspect by reviewing the transactions on the stolen credit cards. He said the reported theft serves a reminder for everyone to not leave valuables in plain sight inside of empty vehicles.

Young Man Saved from Drowning at Rochester Park

The 10 Best City Parks In Minnesota

While Minnesota's state parks and Voyageurs National Park tend to get the most attention, the Land of 10,000 Lakes is home to a lot of incredible city & municipal parks that deserve a visit (or several).

To celebrate these incredible free gems throughout the state, here is a list of the 10 best city parks across Minnesota, according to TripAdvisor.