11:50 update: Missing stuffed water buffalo recovered
WILLMAR - The stuffed water buffalo taken from Bethel Church has been recovered from a First Street business owner and returned to the church.
Willmar Police Capt. Jim Felt gave the update this morning and issued a thank you to all Facebook users who viewed the department’s post about the theft of the item and passed on information.
The business owner recovered the stuffed water buffalo from a teenager Tuesday. The item’s origin was unknown to the business owner until the word spread on Facebook.
The stuffed water buffalo was made in the Philippines and valued at over $70. It was being used in a display where the church was raising money for an actual water buffalo for a mission in the Philippines.
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Police are now working on identifying the teenager involved.
10 a.m. post: Police seeking stuffed water buffalo missing from church
WILLMAR - Willmar Police are seeking information about individuals who stole a toy stuffed water buffalo from a local church raising money for missions to the Philippines.
According to a Facebook post and Capt. Jim Felt, the toy, worth about $70, was reported stolen around 3:30 p.m. last Wednesday from Bethel Church, 411 Becker Ave. S.W. The toy is described as 17 inches long, 8 inches wide and 11.5 inches tall.
The stuffed animal was part of a display at the church. A witness reported seeing two teenagers carrying the item along First Street around 4:15 p.m. that day, but police couldn’t locate the individuals.
Any citizen with information is asked to call 320-235-2244 and report it to Officer James Venenga. The case number is 13004559.
