About 20 vehicles and 30 mailboxes in Milford were the target of theft overnight April 30 into May 1. The theft was the latest in a web of hits throughout southeast Nebraska and culminated in the arrest of three individuals.
Milford Police Chief Darrin Kremer said those believed to be responsible for the theft were in custody as of May 2.
MPD received its first report at 5:08 a.m. May 1, followed by more than a dozen more reports as the morning continued.
Kremer said the thefts occurred from the south part of Milford clear to the north part, mostly along Fairway Drive, F Street and Locust Street.
He said the items taken were random and didn’t follow a pattern, but items of value, including electronics, were stolen from vehicles, and envelopes were taken from mailboxes.
Some of the stolen items of lesser value were dumped in the city park.
The village of Malcolm in Lancaster County experienced a similar string of thefts in the past couple of weeks, and the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said both incidents were tied to others throughout Lincoln and Lancaster County over the past month.
Chief Deputy Ben Houchin of LSO said a photo of the sedan the suspects were driving helped locate the vehicle and those involved.
Houchin said LSO and MPD are working with other agencies to match the stolen property they’ve obtained with the location from which it was stolen.
Chelsea Smith, spokesperson for the Seward County Sheriff’s Office, said no similar activity had been reported in other communities in Seward County.
Houchin said good cooperation among MPD and LSO, as well as other agencies, helped piece together the puzzle and apprehend the individuals involved.
Their names have not been released as the investigation is ongoing.
Kremer encourages anyone who had items stolen that night to make a report.
“We would like to know everybody that was affected,” he said.
Kremer reminds residents and visitors to lock their vehicles and check their mail regularly.
“Don’t let it stack up,” he said.
Residents may file a report by calling the Milford Police Department at (402) 761-2772 or Seward County Communications’ non-emergency number at (402) 643-4578.
