A major police investigation this fall involved a scam that hit this area, including the city of Belgrade.
Belgrade-Brooten Police Chief Casey Jansky explained in his report to the B-B Police Board on October 25, "Scammers claiming to be FirstNet somehow acquired the city of Belgrade public works information and purchased numerous iPads. These iPads were shipped to an address on Nelson Avenue in Belgrade."
At this specific address, the house was uninhabited but was for sale.
During the delivery, Jansky intercepted the FedEx truck and received the packages that were being delivered. By that point, approximately $6,000 of iPads had been charged to the city of Belgrade.
As this all was happening, the scammers ordered more iPads, but with the help of city clerk Connie Wold, as well as the FirstNet company itself, the orders were stopped, according to Jansky.
"We were able to intercept the remaining ones," said Jansky. "I did make a stop on a vehicle that was believed to be the carrier. Unfortunately, I did not have enough to hold the male driver on it."
Jansky later found the subject's story was not factual, and the company he said he represented was fake.
Overall, approximately 37 iPads were returned to FirstNet with a value of about $48,100.
Other cities such as Avon had suffered the same type of scam. In Avon's case, 50 iPads were ordered under their account.
Subscribers to the print edition of the Bonanza Valley Voice can read the full police story in the November 2 issue.
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