Staff Report

Mackenzie Rae Vanlue

Kristofer Ryan Conley

PLYMOUTH — Two people were recently arrested in Marshall County for theft.

Kristofer Ryan Conley, 23, 448 S. Ohio St., Culver, is charged with burglary, a level 5 felony; theft where the value of property is between $750 and $50,000, a level 6 felony; and theft, a class A misdemeanor.

Mackenzie Rae Vanlue, 24, 207 W. Dunn St., Fulton, is charged with aiding/inducing/causing theft where the value of the property is between $750 and $50,000, a level 6 felony.

On Nov. 20, 2023, a Marshall County Sheriff’s Office deputy met with a woman about a man stealing her debit card and using it to make $800 worth of purchases. The woman said she knew Conley and agreed to pick him up at a location in Plymouth on Nov. 14, 2023.

According to court documents, when the woman went to pick Conley up from the location, she noticed he was wearing a ski mask and rubber gloves. She said the property she picked Conley up from was abandoned and that he was stealing copper wire from the area. The woman took Conley back to his residence.

After this, the woman discovered her debit card was missing and she texted Conley. Conley said he did not have the card. When the woman contacted her bank, she was told about four ATM withdrawals that had been made with her card.

On Nov. 28, 2023, a Marshall County detective spoke with the owner of the abandoned property Conley was allegedly at. The owner said an unknown individual broke into the property and stole copper tubing and electrical wire. The detective met with the property owner on Nov. 30, 2023, and was shown how the individual gained entry into the home and stole electrical wiring.

The owner said this occurred more than once and happened several times throughout the year.

In a follow-up interview on Dec. 1, 2023, with the woman who alleged Conley stole her card, the woman said Conley told her he could make about $3,000 from the copper and wiring he took from the property.

Upon further investigation, officers discovered Conley took copper to Rochester Iron & Metal in Rochester on Nov. 3, 2023, receiving over $100.

On Dec. 15, 2023, law enforcement spoke with Conley, who denied stealing the woman’s credit card and taking copper from an abandoned property in Plymouth. He said he was with Vanlue, who used the debit card at a gas station in Rochester.

In an interview, Vanlue said Conley contacted her and said he had a debit card from his friend and that they should get money from it. Vanlue told law enforcement she and Conley withdrew about $800 from the card, and that she gave the money and debit card back to Conley.

Law enforcement spoke with a witness on Jan. 19. A man said Conley was “shopping abandoned buildings” and stealing copper and items. He said Conley was having him take him to properties and drop him off. When the man questioned what Conley was doing, he discovered Conley was going to abandoned properties and stripping copper from the buildings.

A second witness said she had a conversation with Conley regarding him stealing copper from properties.

Conley currently has a pending theft case and also has two prior theft convictions.

Vanlue was booked in the Marshall County Jail on Feb. 8. Conley was booked in the Marshall County Jail on Feb. 10.