4 Arrests Made After String Of Burglaries

Four people have been arrested in connection with a sting of burglaries that date back to the middle of November.

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office said that during the week of December 10th, several area burglaries were solved and arrests were made in the cases. Burglaries had been reported in the rural Staples areas of Wadena and Todd Counties.

After obtaining a vehicle description from witnesses, several suspects were able to be identified. A traffic stop was conducted on the suspect vehicle in the City of Staples, and four individuals were detained for further questioning as a part of the stop. During the traffic stop, several items taken from area burglaries were located inside the vehicle. A search warrant was later executed on the vehicle, as well as a residence in the City of Motley.

Brandon Aanerud, 29, and Zachary Bennet, 25, of Motley, Taylor Wellnitz, 21, of Staples, and Avery Judd, 19, of Jenkins have been charged with burglary-related offenses by the Wadena County Attorney’s Office and appeared in Wadena District Court last week.

The Wadena County Sheriff’s Office also wants to remind citizens to report any suspicious activity occurring around your homes, with as many specifics as possible – time of day, vehicle description, description of anyone you saw.

Law enforcement also recommends to take the time to document make, model, and serial numbers of any of your possessions.