VALENTINE, Neb. - Authorities in Valentine are asking for the public’s help in solving a recent burglary that involved stolen firearms.

According to the Valentine Police Department, officers responded to a break-in on June 6 at around 3:40 p.m. in the 200 block of A Street. The department is encouraging anyone with information related to the burglary to come forward.

The burglary report was part of the department’s weekly summary, which also included a warning about a widespread scam targeting Nebraskans.

Police say they’ve received reports about a fraudulent text message claiming to be from the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. Valentine Police advise anyone who receives the message not to respond, and delete it without opening the message or clicking on hyperlinks.

The Nebraska State Patrol and Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles also sent out an alert about the scam.

"None of these text messages are legitimate,” said DMV Director Rhonda Lamm. “The Nebraska DMV does not send any such official notice via text message. Thank you to the many Nebraskans who have reported this scam quickly to several law enforcement agencies.”

“Scammers can be relentless, but there’s a rule of thumb to protect yourself from this type of scam,” said Colonel Bryan Waugh, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “Never click links or provide personal or financial information on unsolicited messages. If you think the message may be legitimate, go directly to the source and initiate contact yourself rather than clicking the unsolicited link.”

In addition to the scam alert and burglary investigation, Valentine Police reported several arrests last week:

  • June 3, 1:25 a.m.: A 42-year-old South Dakota woman was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of an open alcohol container.
  • June 5, 3:18 p.m.: Officers responded to a trespassing complaint in the 900 block of West B Street. A 43-year-old Nebraska man was arrested and booked into the Cherry County Jail for second-degree criminal trespassing.

Throughout the week, officers handled 47 calls for service. These included:

  • 7 traffic stops
  • 7 animal complaints
  • 2 non-injury motor vehicle accidents
  • 3 thefts
  • 3 assaults
  • 2 disturbances