{"id":18128,"date":"2026-02-11T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trfnews.i234.me\/wordpress\/?p=18128"},"modified":"2026-02-11T05:49:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T11:49:43","slug":"thief-river-falls-church-scraper-theft-cited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trfnews.i234.me\/wordpress\/thief-river-falls-church-scraper-theft-cited\/","title":{"rendered":"Thief River Falls: Church Scraper Theft Cited"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thief River Falls<\/strong> (trfnews.i234.me<\/a>) \u2014 The Pennington County Sheriff\u2019s Office received a theft report on Feb. 2. The report came from Black River Lutheran Church. It involved a sidewalk scraper. The tool is used to clear ice and snow.<\/p>\n

Authorities say a citation was issued to Christopher Marvin Pickens<\/strong>, 49, of Thief River Falls. The citation lists an alleged theft. A citation is not a conviction. The allegation must be proven in court.<\/p>\n

What was reported<\/h2>\n

Investigators say church staff noticed the scraper was missing. The scraper was stored on church property. Staff reported the loss to the sheriff\u2019s office. The report did not list other missing items.<\/p>\n

Sidewalk tools are common in winter. They help keep walkways clear. They can reduce slips and falls. Many churches keep tools near entrances.<\/p>\n

\"Christopher
Christopher Marvin Pickens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What the citation alleges<\/h2>\n

According to the citation, surveillance video captured the incident. The video allegedly shows Pickens taking the scraper. The time listed was 1:41 p.m. on Jan. 26. The citation says the scraper was removed from the church area.<\/p>\n

The sheriff\u2019s office did not provide an estimated value for the tool. Officials did not release more details about the investigation. No injuries were reported in connection with the alleged theft.<\/p>\n

Timeline<\/h2>\n