Vehicle theft leads to chase

LITTLE FALLS - Morrison County authorities are searching for a suspect who stole a vehicle in Little Falls and led officers on a chase through the southern part of the county.

At 1:27 p.m. the Little Falls Police Department received a report of a minivan stolen from Seventh Street Northeast in Little Falls. The Morrison County Sheriff's Department reported the minivan's owner had started the vehicle to let it warm up.

About an hour later the Royalton police chief observed a vehicle southbound on Highway 10 matching the description of the stolen minivan but with a different license plate.

The Royalton police chief attempted to stop the minivan but the suspect fled and a pursuit ensued on 10 and secondary roads until the suspect vehicle struck the chief's squad car and disabled it.

About 45 minutes later, a State Patrol helicopter located a vehicle matching the description of the minivan near a silo at a farmstead just north of the Benton County and Morrison County line.

Officers from Morrison, Benton and Stearns counties and the State Patrol responded to the farmstead and found the minivan had been abandoned and a pickup from the farm stolen.

The pickup is a 1994 Chevrolet, light blue in color with an extended cab, chrome running boards, no topper and license plates VYN 483. However, the Morrison County Sheriff's Department noted the suspect had changed the license plates on the minivan and it is unknown whether false plates were put on the pickup.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the Chevrolet pickup is asked to call the Morrison County Sheriff's Department at (320) 632-9233.