Attempted ATM theft at Wilson Foods
EMILY MESSER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 months, 3 weeks AGO
Store owner Rowan Wilson found his store with the doors smashed in and the Lake County Sheriff on scene early morning hours of Thursday, March 12. (Courtesy of Rowan Wilson)
Emily Messer joined the Lake County Leader in July of 2025 after earning a B.A. degree in Journalism from the University of Montana. Emily grew up in the rolling hills of southeast Missouri. She's lived in Montana since 2022 and honed her reporting craft through the UM J-School newspaper and internships at the RMEF Bugle Magazine and the Missoulian. At the Leader, she covers government, business, education, agriculture and community news. Contact Emily Messer at [email protected] or 406.883.4343 | March 12, 2026 4:00 AM
Early Thursday morning, a truck backed into Wilson Foods in Arlee, and two individuals attempted to remove the ATM.
The Lake County Sheriff's Department arrived on scene shortly after the break-in. The suspect vehicle is a 2004 beige four-door F-350 with no license plates and a silver toolbox, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office press release. The truck has no tailgate, possible rear-end damage and decals on the rear window.
The Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with details on the whereabouts of this vehicle to please contact Lake County Dispatch at 406-883-7301 or email Detective Hines at [email protected].
ARTICLES BY EMILY MESSER
City Commission approves grant match for a potential road resurfacing machine
The Polson City Commission unanimously approved a 20% match for a Federal Highway Administration grant to fund advanced transportation technology and innovation programs, with the city intending to use the funds for an asphalt reclaimer.
Lake County Fair hosts first and successful rodeo weekend
When the Pioneer Days Committee announced there would be no rodeo this year, the public cried out, as this long-standing tradition seemed to be fading away. But just one month ago, the Friends of the Fairgrounds, alongside the Lake County Fair Board, announced they would bring a rodeo back.
Combination of changes results in Salmon Prairie Elementary’s closure
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, one-room rural schoolhouses formed in vast numbers across western Montana, alongside the isolated farming, ranching, mining and logging communities. This was the foundation of rural education across America.