Troy S. Martin

BROWN COUNTY — A 37-year-old rural Madelia man faces four felony burglary counts for breaking into the Hanska Municipal Liquor Store and Last Chance Saloon in Hanska Oct. 1, 2021.

Two second- and third-degree burglary charges were filed and an arrest warrant was issued Dec. 16, in Brown County District Court against Troy S. Martin, 84182 280th St., Madelia.

According to court documents, Martin was held on outstanding warrants in the Brown County Jail Oct. 19, 2021 when Brown County Chief Deputy Jeremy Reed interviewed him about the Hanska burglaries.

Martin confessed to breaking into the Hanska Municipal Liquor Store and Last Chance Saloon Oct. 1, 2021 but said the only thing he stole was the municipal liquor store safe. Martin said threw the safe in a ditch near Hanska, later retrieved it, broke into it, and later dumped it in a river somewhere off State Highway 68 and a gravel road past Sleepy Eye.

Reed learned that liquor store burglary damage estimates were $200 for office door repairs, about $360 for the safe, and about $560 for glass repair.

On Sept, 24, 2021, Brown County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Murphy got a phone call from Watonwan County Chief Deputy Mark Slater informing her of a Murray County burglary in which Martin was identified as the suspect.

At 1:53 a.m., Oct. 1, 2021, Brown County Deputy Stueber was dispatched to an alarm at the Hanska Municipal Liquor Store. Using security cameras, Stueber got a still image of the suspect, described as a white man, wearing a black hat, mask, and coat.

In addition to an Aug. 27, 2021 municipal liquor store burglary where an ATM machine was stolen, the Last Chance Saloon in Hanska was burglarized, two doors were damaged but nothing was found to be stolen. Door repairs were estimated at $800.

Martin was identified in a Murray County bar burglary about the same time. Reed viewed the Oct. 1, 2021 surveillance video and noticed the suspect had the same eyes and nose as Martin’s most recent Brown County Sheriff’s Office booking photograph.