Portable toilets stolen on Hobo Day

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BROOKINGS – The rainy, colder weather kept people indoors and helped law enforcement keep the peace over Hobo Day weekend, according to Brookings Police Lt. Derrick Powers, but it didn’t stop someone from stealing a truck and trailer hauling two portable toilets.

The theft was reported shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday and occurred sometime during Saturday evening from a lot in the 500 block of Front Street.

“The (silver) 2004 Ford Explorer Sport Trac also had a flatbed trailer attached to it that had two porta potties on it,” Powers said Monday. “It was unlocked and the keys were in the vehicle. As of this point, it hasn’t been recovered yet.”

Another trailer was reported stolen Sunday, shortly after noon. It was taken sometime last week, Powers said.

This one was gray in color and taken from the lot of a storage facility in the 1600 block of Western Avenue. The 6-by-10-foot trailer had metal sides and was valued at $1,000.

“For the most part, it was a fairly quiet weekend,” Powers said.

“Knowing that Hobo Days brings a lot of people into town,” the Brookings Police went into the weekend prepared with extra personnel from its own department, as well as some outside help from the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Division of Criminal Investigation.

“We prepare for that every year and expect to have a higher call load and a lot of calls we dealt with this weekend were noise complaints,” Powers said, adding that many times when officers investigate noise complaints, they wind up making alcohol-related arrests connected to underage consumption and DUI.

“I do think one thing that helped was the cooler temperatures,” Powers said. “Nights on Hobo Day, you have a lot of people out in yards, having their party outside. We had temperatures in the 40s and some rain, which brings people inside, and some wind. I think it kept a lot of parties and party-goers inside residences. If it was warmer, we’d probably have been a bit busier with calls for service, especially in regards to noise complaints.” Powers said.

He added that Saturday calls were fewer than Friday, but it was a typical Hobo Day weekend.

“We’re pleased with how it went. We prepare for this weekend with extra staffing. Overall, I think for the whole event, there was nothing that was extraordinary that occurred and for our department, things went well,” Powers said.

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.