Truck thief admits crime

Published 3:59 pm Saturday, December 15, 2012

An Austin man who stole a truck in Rochester and reportedly got arrested after he ran out of gas pleaded guilty Thursday in Mower County Court.

Duanchang Keobounhmee, 31, pleaded guilty to felony motor vehicle theft. According to the court complaint, Keobounhmee took the 2002 Nissan truck from Rochester to get to Austin but ran out of gas near a rural business on the way. The business owner notified authorities about the man, and an officer discovered the truck was listed as stolen. Keobounhmee said he borrowed the truck from a relative; however, he could not provide a name of a relative.

The owner of the truck said Keobounhmee needed a ride to Austin but wouldn’t pay for gas, so Keobounhmee may have stolen the truck after the truck owner refused to drive him there.

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Keobounhmee’s sentencing is set for Jan. 17.