Man camping in Magnolia charged with airport burglaries

A Worthington man is facing burglary charges for stealing fuel and other items from the Luverne Municipal Airport this summer.
According to a criminal complaint filed Wednesday, Sept. 2, in Rock County District Court, 54-year-old Bradley Daniel John was allegedly recorded on security surveillance at the airport on several occasions in August.
The complaint states that on Aug. 20 airport manager Ben Baum reported a theft to the Rock County Sheriff's Office. 
Baum said 20.9 gallons of gas had been stolen from a Cessna plane registered to Dury Aviation Services. The plane was already gone from the airport by the time the theft was reported, but the theft was captured on security video. 
A rusty, silver-colored minivan, which appeared to be an older Dodge or Plymouth, was seen driving in that area.
Tim Larson of AgriMax was also informed of the theft and was asked to check his vehicles. Larson reported that 20 gallons of fuel was missing from his tanker parked at the airport.
Baum also checked another tied down plane and found approximately 14 gallons missing from it.
With the price of airplane gas at $4.65 per gallon, the total value of the stolen fuel was just over $255
On Aug. 29 the airport reported another theft of fuel; this time 10-12 gallons from the airport shop truck. Also stolen were two large chairs, valued at $150 each, from the airport terminal building.
Baum had surveillance video of what appeared to be the same old minivan arriving at the airport at 3:48 a.m. The video shows a male with a mustache entering the building and stealing the chairs. He left just after 4 a.m.
At 5 p.m. on Aug. 29 Baum met the sheriff at the Law Enforcement Center to report that he had located what he believed to be the vehicle from the surveillance tapes. He said it was at the campground in Magnolia.
He drove there with Sheriff Evan Verbrugge, and they spotted a Dodge Caravan with MN plates WD1481, which was registered to Daniel Bradley John.
After reviewing the surveillance video, they recognized the van and noticed the man with the mustache carrying around flexible tubing and a drum.
Verbrugge proceeded back to the campground to make contact with John. As he approached the van, he noticed the flexible tubing in the back window of the van.
When he knocked on the camper door, John answered, and was immediately recognized as the man in the video. A camouflage hat matched the one in the video, too.
John agreed to go with Verbrugge to the Law Enforcement Center for an interview. Verbrugge read him the Miranda Warning and asked him how much he'd been drinking, because there was a strong odor of alcohol.
John reportedly admitted to having six beers and also said he had a personality disorder and takes medications. He denied mixing the medications and alcohol, however.
John said he had no memory of stealing from the airport, and said he has enough money; he doesn't need to steal.
Even though his van matched the one in the video, he said he didn't remember doing anything like that.
Verbrugge asked about the tubing in plain sight in the van at the campground, and John said he used it for water for his camper. Verbrugge asked where the stolen chairs may be, as the camper didn't appear to be big enough to hold them.
John said they may be at his brother's garage in Adrian where all his stuff is, but he said he and his brother don't get along because his brother drinks too much.
John admitted to being on probation for a DWI and that he has also been arrested for burglaries in the past.
Verbrugge photographed the campsite, and in plain sight behind John's camper was the fuel drum that matched the one seen in the surveillance video.
This, along with the van, was seized for evidence and photographed for comparison to the video.
John was charged with third-degree burglary, a felony, for entering a building without consent with the intent to steal property. He was also charged with felony theft for stealing property valued between $500 and $1,000.
The maximum penalty for the burglary charge, if convicted, would be five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. The theft conviction would carry a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $3,000 fine.