An investigation into a vehicle stolen from a Storm Lake business led authorities to the suspect through several other Iowa vehicle thefts and into Missouri. On Thursday, March 15, the Storm Lake Police Department was notified of the theft of a 2002 Chevrolet pickup truck from North Lake Truck Repair. Video surveillance showed a white male approach the vehicle and leave the lot in it. On March 21, authorities were called to the Storm Lake Hy-Vee parking lot to investigate an abandoned vehicle. The plates on that vehicle were reported stolen from Fort Dodge and the car reported stolen out of Sioux City. More video surveillance was used to identify who had left the vehicle in the lot, and he matched that of their suspect in the first theft report. Following leads on social media, they learned they were seeking 35-year-old Larry Brown, Jr. of Milford, formerly of Worthington, Minn. Arrest warrants were sought for first-degree theft, a class C felony, second-degree theft, a class D felony, along with fifth-degree theft, two counts of operating without a valid driver’s license and fraudulent use of registration, all simple misdemeanors. On April 16, the department was notified by the Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Office that the truck stolen from Storm Lake had been located in Ruthven. Then on May 2, authorities in Grundy County, Missouri contacted the department to report that Brown and a female associate had been arrested following an incident involving a stolen vehicle, a pursuit with law enforcement and an assault on a Missouri officer, all of which occurred on April 19. As of last Friday (June 1) Brown was being held in Missouri, awaiting extradition back to Storm Lake.
