Blaine Man Accused Of 'Grab-&-Run' Thefts At Metro Sports Authority Stores
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 42-year-old Blaine man has been charged with robbing multiple Sport Authority stores around the metro area, according to the Dakota County Attorney's Office.
Conan Wilson Hernandez faces two counts of theft, with one being with a prior conviction. Both are felonies.
According to the criminal complaint, a "grab and run" theft at a Sports Authority store in Burnsville was reported on June 10, 2016. It was determined the suspect stole over $600 worth of merchandise.
Loss prevention investigators were able to determine the license plate number of the suspect's vehicle using surveillance tape – and determined that he is also suspected in a recent theft at the company's Maple Grove location.
After running the license plate number, a Burnsville police investigator discovered that the vehicle was registered to Hernandez. The investigator also compared surveillance video and identified Hernandez as the suspect in the video, and matched two tattoos on Hernandez's right forearm.
Hernandez was also identified by loss prevention as the suspect in another grab and run theft from a Sports Authority in Roseville later the same month. There, he's accused of taking merchandise valued at over $1,100.
When officers executed a search warrant at his residence in early August, they discovered several items of stolen merchandise from Sports Authority, the complaint said.
In a post-arrest interview with police, Hernandez admitted to stealing from both the Burnsville and Roseville stores, according to the complaint.
Hernandez was previously convicted of theft on Feb. 7, 2014. If convicted, he could face up to five years per theft count.
