Minn. Poachers ‘Wall Of Shame’ Stolen From DNR

[firebob66]

These guys are going to get some real publicity from the hunters of Minnesota. I hope they get smoked a good one.

[DeanC]

Man who stole DNR animal mounts in St. Paul is sentenced
2 others also charged in break-in
By Emily Gurnon
egurnon@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 04/07/2011 11:40:16 PM CDT

One of three men charged with stealing more than 20 mounted animal heads and other items from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources was sentenced Thursday to the 70 days he served in custody.

Timothy Heidenreich could serve 21 months in prison if he violates terms of his five-year probation, Ramsey County District Judge Rosanne Nathanson ordered.

He also must pay $8,205 in restitution to the DNR, though his co-defendants might share in that amount.

[gyrfalcon]

"The same day the theft was discovered, police got a call from a Washington County sheriff's sergeant. Heidenreich had been arrested for stealing a tomato from the cafeteria in the Washington County Government Center and giving false information to police."


WTF?!

[Dick Unger]

"The same day the theft was discovered, police got a call from a Washington County sheriff's sergeant. Heidenreich had been arrested for stealing a tomato from the cafeteria in the Washington County Government Center and giving false information to police."


WTF?!

Theft of ANY public property (Washington County's tomato) can be charged as a felony, and therefore the offense could justify taking the person into custody. If it was a PRIVATE tomato it would only be a citation, if any cop would write it up. My guess is that they wanted to lean on this guy, and it worked.

The DNR took this burglary pretty seriously. I thought it was kind of funny, really. First poached, then confiscated, then stolen, now recovered. I'll stay tuned. Some of the "poached" stuff is pretty technical, often it's a shot just minutes before or after shooting hours.

We recently had a case where the CO heard a shot about 20 min before shooting, waited at the gate, counted ALL shots that morning, interviewed everybody in the woods about what they shot, when they fired shots, and what they bagged. Of about 30 hunters, only ONE hunter, (who got a nice buck), claimed he did not hear the early shot. He was/is the suspect, by elimination, and demeanor.

Without a confession, it was too iffy to charge. The suspect, (who happens to be an LEO) was smart enough not to actually confess, but like most folks, thought he was smart enough to run his mouth for quite a while. The CO later reinterviewed people, it was quite an investigation of a deer which would have been taken that morning in any event. I'm enough of an outlaw to be happy his deer was not confiscated. Most will disagree.

[DeanC]

I don't think any of the Wall of Shame animals are after/before shooting hours animals. Most of them are out of season, over limit, or no license animals.

[Dave Pendleton]

Without a confession, it was too iffy to charge. The suspect, (who happens to be an LEO) was smart enough not to actually confess, but like most folks, thought he was smart enough to run his mouth for quite a while. The CO later reinterviewed people, it was quite an investigation of a deer which would have been taken that morning in any event. I'm enough of an outlaw to be happy his deer was not confiscated. Most will disagree.

Why have any rules at all, then?

[Heffay]

Why have any rules at all, then?

To catch those dumb enough to admit their crimes. They are IQ tests more than laws.

No matter how sincere a cop says when they say "Just admit it, and everything will be much easier", they are referring to their job of arresting you, not making your punishment easier.

[Dave Pendleton]

I think you're missing the point.

The deer was taken 20 minutes before legal shooting times.

To rationalize that it would have been taken anyways so it's no big deal implies that we don't need conservation laws at all. Just take what you want when you want.

[Heffay]

I think you're missing the point.

The deer was taken 20 minutes before legal shooting times.

To rationalize that it would have been taken anyways so it's no big deal implies that we don't need conservation laws at all. Just take what you want when you want.

I don't think I ever tried to rationalize it. I'm just saying the system is biased against the stupid. Just like all systems.

[Dave Pendleton]

Are you even reading this thread?

Look at who and what I quoted. Sheesh.

[Heffay]

Are you even reading this thread?

No. I was making an ancillary point about admitting committing a crime. Sorry for the confusion.

[gyrfalcon]

Theft of ANY public property (Washington County's tomato) can be charged as a felony, and therefore the offense could justify taking the person into custody. If it was a PRIVATE tomato it would only be a citation, if any cop would write it up. My guess is that they wanted to lean on this guy, and it worked...

Do you have a link to the statute or law that allows this? I think its bogus... What's next, you take a pen or pencil from city hall and end up in the slammer?