[CPProt.net] Police find stolen chainsaw sculptures

[MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)]

Police find stolen chainsaw sculptures
By Kari Petrie
kpetrie at stcloudtimes.com
December 7, 2005


AVON - Mark Kurtz can sleep a little easier tonight.
Police recovered six of his 11 chainsaw sculptures that were stolen from his
Avon business in August. 

Kurtz makes the sculptures.

"It's the best Christmas gift I could have ever gotten," he said.

Avon Police Chief Corey Nellis said police from the Fargo, N.D., and
Moorhead police departments found the sculptures.

Nellis said police are looking for Jose Vasallo Alvarez, 28, whom they
believe stole the items. North Dakota police were investigating Alvarez for
other burglaries and thefts in the area, he said.

Police found several of the sculptures in an apartment garage that Alvarez
rented.

"It's nice to put a close on it," Nellis said. "We're lucky that we did."

The sculptures were reported missing Aug. 25 by Kurtz. They were taken from
Sculpture Gallery and Crafts near Interstate Highway 94 at 100 Stearns
County Road 50.

Nellis said one of the statues was recovered from a business, and he
believes others might have been sold to businesses as well.

Kurtz said the sculptures were badly damaged. He said police have told him
the theft was part of a larger operation.

"It's disheartening when this happens," he said. "I made these with my hands
and heart."

Kurtz does not know when he'll get his sculptures back because they are
being held as evidence. 

But he's working on a high-tech security system to protect his property, he
said.

Some of the sculptures that were stolen had been ordered by customers, Kurtz
said. He has many sleepless nights worrying about them.

"It's been very emotional," he said.

A week and a half after the theft, two log chairs worth $750 were taken from
Kurtz's business. Police believe Alvarez took those as well, Kurtz said.

Alvarez lived in Fargo but had ties to the Twin Cities. 

Nellis said he believes Alvarez took the sculptures because of their
visibility on Interstate Highway 94.

The sculptures recovered include a 7-foot-6-inch tall cigar-store-style
American Indian, three carved bears and two neon palm trees.

Kurtz said the American Indian has chunks missing from its headdress and
scratches. The palm trees are "bent like pretzels."

The sculptures weighed at least 2,100 pounds and were worth more than
$19,000.

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