Garvin man sentenced for wood stove, tool thefts in Lamberton

A Garvin man, Sean Eric Vanmerveren, age 24, has been sentenced in Redwood County District Court for stealing several wood stoves and a variety of tools from a Lamberton shed last November.

According to court documents, on Nov. 27, the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office learned of a theft that had occurred earlier that afternoon in rural Lamberton. One of the stoves and several tools had fallen off a white Ford pickup that had been seen on the victim’s trail cameras. The other stove was later found in a ditch in Cottonwood County. During the theft, the tailgate fell off the pickup, and was in the victim’s possession. A variety of other tools were also missing from the victim’s barn.

Officers believed they recognized the vehicle from a similar case involving stolen property. Officers visited the pickup’s owner in Tracy, and noted the tailgate of the suspect vehicle was missing. The pickup’s owner stated no one had driven the vehicle, and that he had given the tailgate away.

Several days later, investigators with a warrant searched the pickup owner’s property, and located many items that had been reported missing from the victim’s property. The pickup owner then admitted he had helped Sean Eric Vanmerveren burglarize the property. A search of Vanmerveren’s residence turned up more stolen items.

On Aug. 15, Vanmerveren was sentenced for felony burglary in the third degree to 21 months in the corrections facility in St. Cloud, and $185 in fines and fees.