Western Railroad Discussion > Railfans Arrested for Attempting to Steal Horn

Happened in the suburbs of Minneapolis. Both gentlemen are known railfans in the Twin Cities Metro area.

http://stillwater.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/police-two-men-arrested-after-attempting-to-steal-horn-off-of-minnesota-zephyr

Two men were arrested last week after a Stillwater resident reported the possible theft of a horn from the Minnesota Zephyr dinner train that sits stationary on the north end of downtown. While a resident was on a walk on Aug. 6, he noticed one man standing on top of the Zephyr, and another standing nearby. He also noticed that a bell had been removed from the train, and was now in the back of a pickup truck. The resident called David Paradeau, the owner of the Zephyr, and asked if anyone was supposed to be on the train, the police report states. Paradeau told the man no one was supposed to be near the train. The resident detained the two men—later identified as Anthony Wood, 19, of Birchwood Village and Daniel Lindfors, 19 of Chaska—and called police. Wood reportedly told police he had been at the “Minnesota Transportation Museum in Osceola to replace a train horn up there,” the report states. Wood went on to tell police that they came down to Stillwater to check the Zephyr for parts after repairing a horn in Osceola. Lindfors told police he was employed by the Minnesota Transportation Museum and had permission to replace the horn and replace it with another one. Wood told police that they two men disconnected the Zephyr’s horn, “were going to inspect it, take pictures and then contact the owner of the train to see if they could buy it,” the report states. The horn is valued at $400, according to the report. Damage to a copper line connecting the horn to the train is estimated to be $1,000. Both men told police they did not have permission to be on Paradeau’s property. Police then contacted an agent with the Burlington Northern Police who said the horn would not, per company policy, be available to sale for the public and should not be in Wood’s possession, because the horn could be completely refurbished and repaired, the report states. The agent told police the horn in the back of the pickup truck should be considered stolen property. Wood and Lindfors were arrested on suspicion of theft.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/13 13:26 by eightandsand.

Common thieves. At minimum, I hope they are required to pay for the damages they caused.

We're getting some real classic threads here, railfans and the horn, the kid climbing on the train, two women floating in the river concerned about cabooses. A little too much reality can be a bad thing.

Perhaps spend time replacing horns stolen off other locomotives, too?

Jim Montague
IRVINE, CA
Train and Nature photo Art

No charges were pressed against them. That's what the story doesn't tell you.

Man, locomotive horns must be a "hot" commodity judging from the posts I've read here. I guess that's why the SJVRR here has a cage-like structure around the horns on their locomotives - probably welded onto the roof of the engine.

Then hornblaster community loves to steal them and put them on their trucks to scare people. Then there are legit collectors who use them properly who get drug into that mess.

And people wonder why railroad officials don't want anyone on their private property...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Right On. Well known railfans...at 19 years old?? Glad they got caught.
Roger Beckett

Lindfors is a volunteer brakeman at Minnesota Transportation Museum. Or was any way .

andrewamtrak Wrote:
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> No charges were pressed against them. That's what
> the story doesn't tell you.

Pity...

Cross out "well known" and replace with "infamous."

Posted from Android

Al Seever
Phoenix, AZ

Back about 50 years ago, some traction fans were "salvaging" items from PCC streetcars that had been stored after abandonment of the last LA trolley lines. When confronted, they identified themselves as members of a railway preservation group. According to local "oral tradition", when word reached the group's leaders, the trespassers had their memberships revoked.

Perhaps these clowns can be blacklisted from the museum community. I certainly hope BNSF added their names to their list.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

Typical foamers, I guess they didnt know that only railroaders are allowed to steal railroad property lol



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/13 19:06 by GN599.

GN599 Wrote:
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> Typical foamers, I guess they didnt know that only
> railroaders are allowed to steal railroad property
> lol


Typical reply

sp5312 Wrote:
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> Typical reply

Typical burn.

Posted from Android

Theft is theft.

Do people know that you can buy a new horn if they want one that badly?

Stan

Those people can "Toot their own Horn"... in Jail!! Terrible ripping off railway property, and making the rest of us rail fans look bad cuz' of these 2 crooks.

And this stupid quote from the thief: ..."had permission to replace the horn and replace it with another one. Wood told police that the two men disconnected the Zephyr’s horn,were going to inspect it, take pictures and then contact the owner of the train to see if they could buy it,”... definitely shows these guys are from the WRONG side of the tracks.. X^(



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/13 08:57 by octrax.