On the afternoon of 02/07/25, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a car bumping into the Dollar General Store in Red Lake Falls. There were no injuries, the vehicle was not damaged, but there was minor damage to the store’s exterior wall. A crash report was completed and submitted to insurance.
On the afternoon of 02/07/25, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of transient merchants soliciting residents in the city of Red Lake Falls. A Red Lake County deputy spoke with the individuals who were offering home repair services, and they were directed to go to City Hall and obtain a permit to conduct their activities.
On the evening of 02/07/25, a Red Lake County resident reported they lost a pistol. A Red Lake County deputy spoke with the reporting party and the case remains under investigation.
On the evening of 02/07/25, a Red Lake Falls resident reported they may have been a victim of a scam. They claimed they were contacted by phone and a they needed to pay a bondsman a sum of cash to get a relative out of jail. Earlier the same afternoon, a man came to their residence and collected the cash. This incident is still under investigation and appears to be related to similar scam cases that occurred earlier in the week in Itasca and Beltrami Counties. The Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office is working with these agencies and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office would like citizens to know that if you receive a call of this nature, verify with family members or law enforcement at a legitimately published phone number. Do not call any phone numbers provided by the callers. Do not provide personal information, and do not meet or invite someone to your home to collect bail. If there are any other victims of a scam similar to this, you are urged to contact the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office to report the crime.
Shortly after midnight on 02/09/25, a Red Lake County deputy stopped a vehicle on Hwy. #59 north of Brooks for an equipment violation. During the stop, it was discovered that the driver of the vehicle possessed marijuana vape that was not properly packaged. Derek Elroy Bekkedahl (27) of Mentor was cited for misdemeanor improper packaging of marijuana.
On the evening of 02/10/25, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of horses on the roadway on CR. #7 east of Hwy. #59. A Red Lake County deputy spoke with the owner, and they were put back into their enclosure.
On the morning of 02/12/25, Pacy Michael Perrine (19) of Oklee was cited for misdemeanor careless driving in the city of Oklee.
On the morning of 02/13/25, a Red Lake Falls resident reported being a victim of harassment. The report was documented, and advice was given.
On the evening of 02/13/25, the Red Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle in the ditch south of Red Lake Falls along Hwy. #32. A Red Lake County deputy checked the vehicle and found that it was unoccupied. The owner/driver of the vehicle was contacted, and it was determined that they were not injured, and they would remove the vehicle from the ditch the following day.
In the early morning hours of 02/14/25, several vehicles were ticketed for violating the city of Red Lake Falls’ winter parking ordinance on Main Ave.
Mitch Bernstein, Red Lake County Sheriff: 02/14/25