Would-be ghost busters busted

West Central Tribune - Dec 12 2006

LITCHFIELD — Two women, a man and a 17-year-old boy were arrested by the Meeker County Sheriff’s Department early Monday morning after a ghost hunt turned into an alleged burglary.

The Sheriff’s Department was called around 2:20 a.m. after a local resident heard the Ness Church bell ring and saw a vehicle leaving the church grounds in rural Litchfield, according to a news release from the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office.

A sheriff’s deputy came across the vehicle traveling east on 255th Street. After being stopped by the deputy, the four people in the vehicle confessed to being in the church and taking several items, according to the release.

The driver of the vehicle, Brandi Kae Schaefer, 18, of Sandstone, and her three passengers, Katelynn Marie Tischer, 18, of St. Cloud; Justin Jay Hemmesch, 20, of Richmond and a 17-year-old boy from Cold Spring, were all arrested on charges of criminal trespassing, damage to property and theft, Meeker County Sheriff Mike Hirman said.

Hirman said the foursome allegedly showed up at the church after hearing rumors that it was haunted. After ghost hunting, they allegedly forced open the door to the church, stole a handheld vacuum and some paperwork and discharged a fire extinguisher outside the church. Before leaving one of the four rang the bell, Hirman said.

All four were being held at the Meeker County Jail. Schaefer, Tischer and Hemmesch are pending formal charges in Meeker County. The 17-year-old will be charged in Stearns County because of his juvenile status.