Vandals do $200,000 in damage near Sanborn

Six vehicles totaled, acres of crops damaged in 'joy ride'

By SARA SYVERSON

Journal Staff Writer

SANBORN -- Vandals damaged and destroyed property in Redwood and Brown counties in an amount estimated over $200,000 when they stole six vehicles and took them out on a joy ride early Sunday morning, according to authorities.

The damage was reported about 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning from the City of Sanborn area.

Vandals stole and totaled six vehicles, including a fertilizer "Floater" truck, valued at $100,000, which is owned by Meadowland Coop of Sanborn.

"A lot of people are really upset," said Redwood County Sheriff Deputy Rick Wakefield, "The (fertilizer) truck was totaled .. the front axles were knocked off and the truck's frame was twisted and the tanks were ruptured. The engine doesn't run and the boom arms are bent."

The other vehicles which were wrecked in the incident include a feed delivery truck and pickup owned by the Sanborn Elevator, two pickups owned by Doug Kircher and one car owned by Susan Falk of Sanborn.

The vandals also damaged many acres of corn and bean fields in both counties. Wakefield said he will be going up in a plane on Wednesday to take aerial photos which will help authorities determine the extent of the damage to the fields.

A pasture fence was also destroyed by the vandals which released the cattle from the pasture. The cows have since been returned to the owner, Wakefield said.

A large number of road signs, mailboxes, telephone junction boxes and business signs were also destroyed by the vandals. Numerous power poles were hit by the vandals in stolen vehicles, shearing off the power poles.

The incident remains under investigation and there are many victims. Some of the victims have yet to be contacted and estimates for all of the damages have not been received. Authorities estimate the damage will exceed $200,000.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Redwood County Sheriff's Department at (507) 637-4036 or the Brown County Sheriff's Department at (507) 233-6700.