On January 31, 2023 at approximately 6:51 PM, the Fosston Police Department was dispatched to Lepier’s East gas station to take a report from a Doyle Taxi Cab driver who had gone in to use the restroom and came back outside to discover his taxi had been stolen.
Upon arrival, it was discovered that the person who stole the van was actually a passenger in the taxi at the time the driver went in to use the restroom. The taxi was giving the passenger a ride from Essentia- Fargo to Cass Lake, MN.
The Doyle taxi was equipped with an active GPS and an active camera system. Doyle Cab Company was able to give us live updates as to where the vehicle was located. With the assistance of the Bemidji Police Department, they were able to safely stop the stolen taxi in the Bemidji area.
The suspect was identified as Mardee Jones, 34, from Cass Lake. Jones was placed into custody and transported to NWRCC in Crookston. Jones will be facing charges for the Theft of the vehicle.
