Stolen Items Found Stashed in Richfield Apartment

A St. Louis Park man, charged earlier in the month in connection with a burglary at a Wayzata jewelry store, is facing more charges of burglarizing Minnetonka businesses, stealing tools and then storing the stolen items in a Richfield apartment.

Justin Grant Evans, 36, is facing two new felony charges of third-degree burglary, each of which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the latest charges, employees of Samaritan Tire Co., 3200 Oak Ridge Rd., reported that a computer and an iPad were stolen, while , 12812 Wayzata Blvd., employees reported that someone broke in and stole tools, including impact guns, a diagnostic scanner, a pressure monitoring system and torque sticks March 29.

In both burglaries, the businesses’ glass front doors had been pried open, causing the glass to break out of the door frames. According to the complaint, similarly damaged doors were discovered at two other Minnetonka businesses, including one at 15210 Wayzata Blvd., where video surveillance captured a suspect whom police recognized as Evans.

Officers went to Evans’ St. Louis Park home and questioned him about the burglaries. Police say Evans admitted to breaking into the Minnetonka businesses and stealing property, which was recovered from an apartment on West 74th Street in Richfield.

Evans is currently on parole for a felony weapons conviction. His lengthy Minnesota criminal history includes convictions for theft in 2004, 2007 and 2008, making terroristic threats in 2004, aiding and abetting burglary in 2005 and 2008, third-degree burglary in 2008 and 2009 and credit-card fraud in 2008.

Evans remains in the Hennepin County Jail on a $40,000 bond on the earlier Wayzata charges, and an additional $20,000 bond on the new charges. An omnibus hearing in the Wayzata case is scheduled today in Hennepin County District Court.