St. Paul woman stole sheep from Bloomington farm, charges say
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A 42-year-old St. Paul woman is accused of stealing a sheep and taking it on a walk alongside a dog over the weekend.
The woman is charged with one count of rustling and livestock theft, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County on Tuesday.
Charges say on Saturday officers were called to Old Shakopee Road East in Bloomington on a report of a man and woman walking around with a dog and a sheep.
Upon arrival, an officer noticed burs "all over" the woman's jacket and on the sheep, charging documents say.
The woman allegedly told the officer she had purchased the sheep from an employee and paid $200 for it. However, the man with her said the woman had stepped over the fence to a farm, put a leash on the sheep, then pulled it through the fence. He told the officer she had pulled the leash so hard the sheep had been choking.
An employee and the owner of a nearby farm were able to confirm that the sheep belonged to them and had not been sold to the woman.
Charges say the sheep is a breeding ram worth around $500.