BRAINERD, Minn. — A 66-year-old Brainerd man, Calvin Eugene Thomas, was arrested on Nov. 20 after allegedly breaking into a Baxter home and consuming medication prescribed for cancer treatment.
Thomas faces felony theft and felony second-degree burglary charges. He made his first appearance in Crow Wing County District Court on Nov. 21 and was denied a public defender. He was released on $0 bail with conditions and is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 29, 2026.
According to court documents, Baxter officers were dispatched at 11:26 a.m. on Nov. 20 to a home on Berrywood Drive after reports of a theft. The residents told officers Thomas had entered the home and consumed hydrocodone prescribed for cancer treatment. They suspected he had been taking the medication on multiple occasions.
Thomas previously worked as a handyman for the homeowners and had permission to borrow a ladder from the garage. On Nov. 20, he requested to use the ladder and was granted permission; the ladder remained in the garage when officers arrived.
Homeowners provided Ring camera footage showing Thomas entering the kitchen, grabbing the medicine bottle, and drinking the medication. The patient had not taken any of the medication since it was prescribed.
Deputies located Thomas at his residence in Brainerd and placed him under arrest. While in custody, Thomas admitted he went to the home to check a smoke detector he had installed but claimed he never had permission to enter the house or consume the medication.
Thomas stated he did not need the ladder that day and only entered the home to inspect the smoke detector. He admitted to trying the hydrocodone but said he had not been authorized to take it.
