SIREN—Thirty-seven year old John M. Peterson, Rosemount, MN, was arrested after a search warrant executed at an Anchor Inn Road residence turned up about $150,000 in stolen property.

The search recovered a kerosene heater, a gas furnace and a water heater, plus hundreds of other, smaller items Peterson is alleged to have stolen from different job sites in Minnesota.

Peterson, on probation from the Dakota County (MN) jail, did trimming work for Country Joe's Homes, a construction firm in Farmington, MN.

A spokesman for the company did say they were in the habit of hiring men just out of jail to help them get restarted in society. The same man suspected Peterson of the thefts and traveled to Siren to visit the residence to see if any of the missing merchandise was there.

When he asked, Peterson gave him a tour of the house looking for the property. When they got to the garage, the man saw what could be stolen merchandise, and verified it as such with serial and shipping numbers.

He then called 911 and made a report. The case continues to be under investigation.