Police are asking for help and offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of multiple suspects sought for vandalizing two golf courses.

Tuesday, August 31, 1999

Police are asking for help and offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of multiple suspects sought for vandalizing two golf courses.

The vandals struck both Green Lea and the Albert Lea Golf Club sometime between late Friday and early Saturday morning in the latest incidents; damage is estimated at $8,000 at Green Lea and $5,000 at the golf club.

Green Lea has been vandalized three times in recent months; the Golf Club’s been struck twice.

Six buildings were also vandalized at the Freeborn County Fair grounds this weekend.

Albert Lea Assistant Police Chief Dwaine Winkels said the department is asking for help because the vandalism is a continuation of previous damage.

&uot;We believe it (the fair vandalism) may be related to the vandalism of both courses,&uot; Winkels said. &uot;The Police Department is asking for assistance in these cases.

&uot;A reward is offered dependent on the amount of information provided,&uot; he added. &uot;You may be able to remain anonymous. We would like to apprehend those responsible and deter any other acts in the future.&uot;

Described as &uot;multiple suspects,&uot; the vandals stole five golf carts at the Golf Club and smashed the carts into one another. In the process, they damaged three greens and a practice green.

They also stole five carts at Green Lea in the same manner, flipping at least two of the carts and pushing them into a water hazard.

Green Lea Superintendent Mike Carlson said some of the vandals may have injured themselves when they flipped one of the carts.

Damage to two greens was reported as &uot;heavy.&uot; Another green was also damaged.

Winkels said the vandals pried locks off of six buildings at the fair grounds. While nothing was reported missing, they damaged the locks and vandalized building interiors, smearing condiments throughout one building.

No damage estimate was available at the fair grounds.