Becker County (trfnews.i234.me)— Alex Adam Bast, 28, of Menahga, has been charged in Becker County District Court with felony theft of a motor vehicle. According to court records, at approximately 8:28 p.m. on March 18, a Becker County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to 580th Avenue in Menahga on a report of a stolen ATV. The deputy arrived on scene and observed the ATV parked along the street, along with the ATV’s owner. The owner stated he had found the ATV there after being notified by a neighbor that the ATV was gone from his property. The ATV had been parked in the owner’s driveway at his property nearby.
Upon finding the ATV, the owner noticed footprints in the snow leading away down the road. The neighbor that alerted the owner indicated that a man with a beard and a hood was walking on the roadway that evening, identifying him as “Alex,” who was staying at a nearby residence. The footprints in the snow led to that residence.
The deputy went to the residence and spoke with a woman there who stated that “Alex,” identified as Bast, had taken off running around the house as the deputy pulled into the driveway. The deputy searched the property and did not locate Bast. The woman told the deputy that Bast had called her husband earlier in the evening, saying something about having a four-wheeler and asking for a ride because it had broken down.
At midnight that night, the deputy learned that Bast’s father had called the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office, stating he had told Bast to turn himself in and that Bast was hiding in the swamp near the residence he had been staying at. He stated that Bast wanted to come out because he was cold.
The Becker County deputy and a Hubbard County deputy went back to the residence and located Bast in the swamp. Bast walked out of the swamp and admitted to taking the ATV, which was valued at $1,000-$1,500. He was arrested and transported to the Becker County Jail.
Bast made his first court appearance March 20 before District Court Judge Michelle L. Clark. Bail or bond without conditions was set at $10,000; non-cash bond with conditions was set at $2,000 and cash bail with conditions was set at $200.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.