A Spring Valley business owner was tricked into driving to an employee’s house last fall on the guise that the man needed a ride, while he instead went to his boss’ house and stole a Suburban, credit cards, tools and trailer.

Cody Nathaniel Hoyer, 36, Faribault, Minn., posted a $25,000 signature bond in Pierce County Circuit Court April 8 on felony take and drive vehicle without consent, felony misappropriate ID info – obtain money and credit card – theft by acquisition charges. If convicted, the maximum penalty is six years in prison and/or fines up to $10,000.

According to the complaint:

At about 8:43 a.m. Nov. 7, Pierce County deputies were dispatched to a possible stolen vehicle and trailer complaint at a home on Burro Lane in Spring Valley. The victim identified Hoyer, a former Glenwood City resident, as the suspect. While responding to the residence, Hoyer’s own father called police to name him as a suspect. He said Hoyer asked the victim’s husband to pick him up at home for work. His father believed while the victim’s husband was on his way to pick Hoyer up, Hoyer stole the vehicle and trailer.

When police arrived at the victim’s residence, the victim said someone had told her the white Featherlite trailer was left unhooked from the vehicle near County Road B and Highway 128. The missing vehicle was a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban.

The victims said the trailer contained a 2019 61-inch Farris standup lawnmower with vacuum system, a 61-inch Wright standup lawnmower with vacuum system, multiple gas cans, a backpack style leaf blower and a weed whip. The trailer was located at 770^th Avenue and 110^th Street in the town of Spring Lake. All the items were still inside.

After leaving the trailer location, the victim reported her wallet had been inside the Suburban. Her credit card company had contacted her and let her know purchases totaling $504.12 and $477 had been made at the Menomonie Walmart. Video footage showed Hoyer wearing a black hoodie sweatshirt, hat and sunglasses making a purchase at the electronics counter. It also showed him returning to the stolen Suburban in the parking lot with a woman with black hair pulled back in a ponytail.

The victim reported another purchase had been made at Menomonie Kwik Trip $498 at 8 a.m. for $380.70. Kwik Trip staff supplied police with surveillance video; they were also able to cancel $130 of the $200 Kwik Trip gift cards that had been purchased. A $70 purchase was also tracked to a Kwik Trip in Plymouth, Minn. from the gift cards the thieves had purchased. Surveillance video there showed Hoyer and the woman again.

The items that were in the Suburban when it was stolen included a Makita head trimmer with battery and charger ($600), a Stihl backpack blower ($550), two Stihl trimmers ($500 each), two leaf rakes ($35 each), one American Express Delta Skymiles credit card, one Chase Visa card, three WESTconsin debit cards, one Pillar Bank debit card, plus various loyalty and insurance cards.

Hoyer is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. May 14.