LITCHFIELD -- A 27-year-old Cokato man was arraigned Wednesday on six felony charges stemming from a burglary Friday night that apparently started over a pair of shoes.
Frank Lee Chapman was charged with two counts each of first-degree burglary, theft and first-degree criminal damage to property. A second man, Jeffrey Earl Chapman, 18, of Cokato, has a warrant for his arrest on the same charges.
Frank Chapman is being held on $75,000 unconditional bail. Conditional release is set at $60,000.
Two other people are facing possible charges in connection with the Friday night burglary that started in Willmar and ended near Litchfield.
Six individuals were picked up by Meeker County sheriff's deputies Friday around 10:30 p.m. because the vehicle they were riding in matched the description of one near the scene of a burglary in Willmar around 10 p.m.
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The individuals were found in the vehicle with a purebred rat terrier dog, clothing and a drill allegedly from the burglary in Willmar. Willmar police officers were called to the burglary along the 200 block of Becker Avenue Southeast Friday evening.
Both Chapmans; Laura Jean Kepke, 22, of Buffalo; Heather Lynn Radman, 19, of Rockford; Lindsay Ann Kokales, 21, of Buffalo; and a 15-year-old girl from Buffalo were all taken into custody, according to a news release from the Meeker County Sheriff's Office.
The Chapmans and Radman were held in the Meeker County Jail for possession of stolen property.
Aside from the Chapmans, Radman and the 15-year-old girl were both facing possible charges of first-degree burglary, along with theft and criminal damage to property charges, according to a news release from the Willmar Police Department Tuesday.
But what caused the burglary is even more puzzling.
"This was all over a pair of shoes," Police Capt. David Wyffels said.
Wyffels said some of the alleged burglars showed up at the Becker Avenue home earlier in the day on Friday and got into a dispute with the owner about a pair of shoes. During the dispute, the 15-year-old allegedly became upset and told the owner she'd be back with a bat, the complaint alleges.
The group allegedly returned around 10 p.m., knocked open the door, roughed up the place and left with a drill, some clothing and the dog. The group allegedly caused more than $800 worth of damage as they rummaged through the house, including knocking over and smashing an aquarium of fish.
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"They busted it up pretty good," Wyffels said about the damage done throughout the home.
The victim of the burglary was in the bathtub when the door was knocked in. According to the complaint, she stayed in the bathroom until the burglars left.
Kepke, Radman, Jeffrey Chapman and the 15-year-old each told police officers that Frank Chapman had entered the house and taken the items. The 15-year-old and Radman also admitted to entering the home, the complaint states. Jeffrey denied being in the home at all.
As of Wednesday, formal charges against Radman had not been filed. Frank Chapman is scheduled to appear in court again Jan. 8.
