A judge set bail Friday for a Fargo man suspected in a string of area bar burglaries.
East Central District Judge Georgia Dawson ordered Dustin Ambuehl jailed on $5,000 cash bond.
The 21-year-old Fargo man is charged in the Jan. 29 burglary at Bronco's Bar in Chaffee, N.D., and an attempted burglary Jan. 22 at Kojak's Bar in Leonard, N.D.
Ambuehl also is charged in Cass County District Court with two counts of motor vehicle theft.
Law enforcement officials believe Ambuehl is connected to several other bar burglaries in southeastern North Dakota, including three break-ins at Rumours Bar in Davenport.
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Ten small-town bar burglaries have been reported since late December in Cass, Richland and Ransom counties of North Dakota. At least three more bars reported attempted break-ins.
Pull-tab machines were targeted in the burglaries, law enforcement officials say.
Richland County Sheriff Kim Murphy said he expects charges to be filed against Ambuehl in his county.
Cass court records say:
An informant helped lead police to Ambuehl, arrested Jan. 30 at a south Moorhead apartment.
He was initially arrested on a warrant for possessing drug paraphernalia and a parole violation.
Outside the apartment, police found a stolen 1994 Pontiac Grand Prix they believe was used in a bar burglary.
Ambuehl was taken to the Clay County Jail where, on Feb. 1, officials recorded a phone conversation between him, his mother and stepfather.
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During their conversation, Ambuehl told them the police have enough evidence to send him to prison for life.
More arrests are possible, said Lt. Rick Majerus of the Cass County Sheriff's Department.
Dawson has scheduled Ambuehl's preliminary hearing for March 4.
Ambuehl has a lengthy criminal history that includes six felony convictions for theft-related crimes, Assistant Cass County State's Attorney Tracy Jo Peters said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Zent at (701) 241-5526
