Beltrami County, MN: Bemidji Man Charged With Felony Theft
BELTRAMI COUNTY (trfnews.i234.me) — A Bemidji man is facing a felony charge after police say he was caught with stolen power tools valued at more than $1,000.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Beltrami County District Court, Harry Lee Foster, 61, of Bemidji, has been charged with Receiving Stolen Property, a felony under Minnesota Statute 609.53. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.
The Bemidji Police Department reports that on August 3, 2025, officers spotted Foster walking near 22nd Street and Norton Avenue in Bemidji. Knowing he had an active felony arrest warrant, police made contact and detained him. At the time, Foster was carrying a crate filled with various Milwaukee-brand power tools.
Foster reportedly told officers that he purchased the tools for $200 at a garage sale near a local movie theater. Later, police received a report that power tools had been stolen from a job site at the old Marketplace Foods building. The victim identified the tools as his, citing the brand and his initials marked on the equipment. Police confirmed that the tools in Foster’s possession matched the stolen items and were valued at over $1,000.
Court documents also show Foster’s extensive criminal record, including prior felony convictions for burglary in 2021 and 2025, and multiple theft and DWI convictions dating back to 2019. He has been summoned to appear in court to face the new felony charge.
The case remains under review by the Beltrami County Attorney’s Office. Authorities remind residents to mark valuable equipment and report suspicious sales to help prevent theft-related crimes.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
