Fire destroyed a shop near a residence northeast of Underwood on Sunday, Feb. 2. The call came in to fire department personnel at 5:04 p.m.
The owner was siphoning fuel from a snowmobile into a gas tank. A small propane heater was nearby, resulting in flames.
The fire was contained to the interior of the shop but the fire resulted in a total loss. Approximately $5,000 worth of property was destroyed.
Assisting sheriff deputies were fire department personnel from both Underwood and Battle Lake.
Battle Lake area theft investigated
Sheriff deputies, on Feb. 3, continued an investigation of a theft of money and various items that took place Feb. 1 in rural Battle Lake.
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Otter Tail County deputies were working in conjunction with the Battle Lake Police Department.
Otter Tail resident avoids scam
A rural Parkers Prairie resident did not take the bait from a scam artist on Jan. 28, and instead reported the incident to the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office.
The resident, trying to sell a classic car on the internet, received a message from a would-be buyer saying a check was on the way.
Later, the would-be buyer called back and said he mistakenly sent an amount that was more than the actual price. He requested the seller to send a check with the difference.
The rural Parkers Prairie resident, surmising this was a scam, called the sheriff office.
On Jan. 29 sheriff deputies said that oftentimes, after checks for the difference in price are sent off by scam victims, a check from the scammer will be cashed but no money from the bank will be given until the check clears.
Many times, a week later, the bank informs the victim that the check is bogus and the resident is out the money.
“Don’t fall for this type of scam attempt,” said County Sheriff Administrative Lt. Keith Van Dyke. “Never send any money to a buyer until the original check clears.”
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Snowmobiler injured near Fergus Falls
A snowmobiler, north of Fergus Falls, was injured at 5:20 p.m. Jan. 28 near Highway 88.
Kevin Stock, 55, of rural Fergus Falls, was thrown from the machine and suffered a minor leg injury, according to sheriff deputies.
