Vehicle Theft in Apple Valley: Suspect Identified and Summons Issued
Updated - February 8th: Corrected where the vehicle was reported to be stolen from based on reports from public.
APPLE VALLEY, MINNESOTA - Back on Saturday, December 9, 2023, Apple Valley Police received reports around 2:56 PM of a stolen vehicle that was parked in an auto repair company's lot near the transit center. When the customer arrived to pick up the vehicle, they reported it was gone.
According to the criminal complaint released by the Dakota County Attorney's Office, the worker told police they checked security footage and saw a person come from the transit station, get in the driver's seat, and drive off with the vehicle. The client confirmed he had permitted no one else to drive his vehicle.
Apple Valley Police also reviewed surveillance footage and reported they saw a male subject walking from the northbound side of the transit center wearing a checkered shirt, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and black shoes. The male subject was seen carrying a gray jacket, an orange backpack, and a black mask to cover his face before he approached the vehicle and drove off. The police reportedly issued a crime alert on the suspect and an investigative analyst from the Roseville Police Department was able to identify the suspect as 33-year-old Chase Mitchell of St Paul, Minnesota.
The vehicle was later recovered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and found to be equipped with a dash camera recording inside and outside. From this video, police could identify Mitchell as the vehicle's driver right after the crime had occurred.
Chase Mitchell was issued a summons to appear for Felony Theft of a Motor Vehicle on January 12, 2024. This offense comes with a sentence of 0-5 years and/or a fine of $3,000 to $10,000. If he fails to appear, a warrant for his arrest will be issued according to court documents. Minnesota Court Records also show Mitchell has a history of crimes across Hennepin, Scott, and Dakota Counties since 2009, which include such thing as assault, drug possession, DWI, fleeing the police, and theft.
Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash
