$60,000 collection of Lake Superior agates stolen, owner offering reward

WRIGHT COUNTY, Minn. (KMSP) - A Wright County man is asking those who collect and sell rocks to be on the lookout after his unique collection of Lake Superior Agates worth tens of thousands of dollars was stolen.

Hunting down rare and unusual gemstones has been Jesse Lofgren's passion for the last 20 years. Now he is offering a $5,000 reward for the return of his prized possessions.

"Devastated. Completely and utterly devastated," Lofgren said.

After a month working out-of-state, Lofgren returned earlier this week to find someone had broken into his home.

The burglar smashed the glass on two locked display cases and took off with about 75 Lake Superior Agates, worth at least $60,000.

"This was a very targeted attack. I believe they knew what they wanted before they entered the property. They wanted the agate collection and that's all they wanted," Lofgren said.

Lofgren has taken his agates to gem and mineral shows around the state, so they're well-known to established dealers and collectors.

But he's getting the word out about the burglary in case someone tries to sell them to a pawn shop or online.

"It's not only the agates that are missing. It's money and it's time and you can never get time back. It's like an entire part of my lifetime that's been wasted," Lofgren said. "I pray I get my agates back."

The Wright County Sheriff's Department is investigating the burglary.

If you have any information about Lofgren's agate collection, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.