It's a story more likely reported in 1884 than 2024. And it's a crime Bloomington, Minnesota Police Chief Booker Hodges says doesn't happen often, if at all, in the Twin Cities.
"And we're going to talk about livestock rustling," Chief Hodges begins.
Yes, livestock rustling in one of the largest "cities" in Minnesota. Almost 90,000 people call Bloomington home. The Mall of America. MSP Airport. Ikea. Headquarters of Ceridian, Donaldson Company, Great Clips, Dairy Queen, HealthPartners, Holiday Stationstores, and Toro. Multiple large hotels and office buildings lining the 494 corridor. And livestock rustling?
In a YouTube video, Hodges says his officers responded to a call on October 9 near the Kelley Farm in Bloomington, one of the only farms left inside the large Twin Cities suburb.
"On a report of a man and woman walking a dog, and what appeared to be a sheep," Hodges explains.
That sheep turned out to be a ram. Police were told it was paid for, but that wasn't the case.
"What actually happened was she went to the farm and drug the sheep out of the farm," says Hodges.
There was evidence placing the suspect at the farm too.
"On her back here, these are burrs, and these are the same burrs that are next to the farm," the chief said in the video.
Hodges says the ram was nearly choked out during the theft, but adds it's now doing well.
42-year-old Mandy Kay Bauer of St. Paul was charged with one count of rustling and livestock theft. She's since been released.