An Ankeny man was arrested for stealing pop cans from a collection drive in Stuart last Wednesday, before it was discovered that he had keys in his possession to a vehicle that was reported stolen in Ankeny. Michael Herbert with the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Department says that police found the suspect, Christopher Grunder, of Ankeny, hiding in a Stuart apartment. Grunder was identified by witnesses as the thief who took the pop cans. Officers then found on Grunder, keys to a vehicle later discovered to be to a vehicle which had been reported stolen in Ankeny. That vehicle was located a few blocks away in Stuart. Grunder was transported to the Guthrie County jail, where he plead guilty to the theft of the pop cans. Grunder was then transported to the custody of Polk County Sheriff’s Deputies and is facing charges of 2nd Degree Theft, a Class D Felony for the theft of the motor vehicle. Additionally, Grunder is suspected in several other thefts and burglaries in the city of Ankeny. The Stuart Police Department was assisted by the Adair County Sheriff’s Office, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ankeny Police Department.

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(OFFICIAL PRESS  RELEASE FROM THE GUTHRIE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT)

On December 10th, 2014, The Stuart Police Department was dispatched to a male subject stealing pop

cans from a local collection drive. The subject fled the scene and was located hiding in an apartment in

Stuart. The subject was identified as Christopher Grunder and eye witnesses confirmed he was the thief

in question. During Grunder’s arrest, officers became aware he was in possession of a set of keys to a

vehicle. Officers later determined these keys belonged to a stolen vehicle from Ankeny. Officers located

the stolen vehicle a few blocks away in Stuart. Grunder was arrested and transported to the Guthrie

County Jail. Grunder plead guilty to the theft of the pop cans. Grunder was then turned over to Polk

County where he faces charges of Theft in the 2nd Degree (Class D Felony) for the alleged theft of a

motor vehicle in Ankeny, Iowa. Grunder is also the suspect in several other motor vehicle thefts and

burglaries in the city of Ankeny. The Stuart Police Department was assisted in its investigation by the

Adair County Sheriff’s Office, The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ankeny Police Department.