07/03/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Three Juveniles Taken into Custody Following Vehicle Theft and School Burglary
The Chisholm Police Department has arrested three juvenile males in connection with the theft of a City of Chisholm Public Works vehicle and the burglary of the Vaughn-Steffensrud School. All three were transported to the Arrowhead Juvenile Center (AJC).
Because those involved are juveniles, no additional identifying information will be released.
These were serious crimes that required a significant amount of police resources to investigate and respond to. Thankfully, no one was injured, but situations like this have the potential to end very differently.
What is most concerning to me is that these incidents are not isolated. This summer alone, we've seen a troubling increase in criminal activity involving juveniles. We've investigated break-ins, vandalism, thefts, property damage, and several other serious incidents involving young people in our community. That should concern all of us.
I want to ask our parents and guardians for their help.
Please know where your kids are, who they're with, and what they’re doing. I know parenting isn't easy, especially during the summer months, but it is our responsibility as adults to make sure our kids are making good decisions and staying out of trouble.
Every poor decision has consequences. While some may see these incidents as kids just being kids, stealing vehicles, breaking into buildings, and damaging property are serious crimes. These actions put our officers, city employees, and innocent members of the public at risk. The last thing any of us wants is for someone to be seriously hurt—or worse—because of a decision that could have been prevented.
These incidents also take a tremendous amount of time and resources to investigate. When officers are tied up responding to crimes like these, they are unavailable to respond to other calls for service throughout our community. At the same time, the victims of these crimes are left dealing with damaged property, financial loss, and the frustration that comes with being victimized. That is simply not acceptable.
As a community, we all have a role in addressing this issue, but it starts at home. We need parents to be engaged, set expectations, and hold their children accountable before law enforcement has to.
I appreciate the hard work of our officers, and everyone involved in bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion. The Chisholm Police Department will continue to investigate these incidents thoroughly and hold those responsible accountable for their actions.
Our goal has never been to arrest kids. Our goal is to keep our community safe and help prevent these situations from happening in the first place.
James Vukad
Chief of Police
