ELLSWORTH - A 21-year-old Kenneth man has been arrested in connection to a Sept. 27 attempted break-in of and damage to Exchange State Bank in Ellsworth.
According to the criminal complaint, Shane Conklin allegedly broke the glass door to the bank’s 24-hour public access area and kicked the ATM machine.
Conklin has been charged with second-degree burglary of a building containing a bank - use of force, a felony; and fourth-degree intentional damage to property, a misdemeanor.
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The complaint continues that a Nobles County Sheriff’s Office deputy saw Conklin walking away from the bank and smelled alcohol coming from his person upon contacting him.
Conklin told the sheriff’s deputy that he been drinking in Sioux Falls, S.D. earlier that night and was staying at a house in Ellsworth. Conklin said he left his friend’s house around midnight and was looking for shelter from the cold, but denied having been at the bank, the complaint continues.
A preliminary breath test revealed Conklin had a breath alcohol content of 0.116 percent.
Bank surveillance footage recorded a man coming to the bank around 1 a.m. who began kicking the doors of the 24-hour access area and the glass entry door of the bank. The male from the surveillance footage appeared to be Conklin, who was placed under arrest.
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In an interview the following day, Conklin said he did not remember breaking the door to the bank.
The felony charge has a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine.
Conklin’s initial appearance in Nobles County District Court has been scheduled for Oct. 10.
Exchange State Bank officials declined a request for comment.
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