TOWER, MN — A 42-year-old man is in custody following a string of burglaries and thefts in the Tower area. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the arrest of Jeffery Allen Bingham, who was taken into custody on May 30 and is currently held in the St. Louis County Jail.
Bingham, a resident of 1346 Tibbetts Trail in Greenwood Township, was caught in the act by a homeowner’s security camera near Lake Vermilion Reservation Rd. around 4 a.m. The resident, watching the live feed, confronted Bingham, who fled in a silver Chevrolet Impala. His escape ended when he crashed the vehicle into a tree. Authorities later learned the car was registered to the brother of Bingham’s girlfriend.
Initially denying involvement, Bingham told investigators he was with his girlfriend at the time. She later clarified that although he had been with her for much of the night, he left around 4 a.m., taking her brother’s car.
Bingham now faces three felony charges, including:
Third-degree burglary
Theft of items valued over $1,000
Theft of property without consent
Local business owner Dan Julkowski, of Tower’s True Value store, confirmed Bingham is suspected in the theft of tools and materials from his business, along with additional burglaries in Vermilion Lake and Greenwood townships.
Due to the number of incidents, the Sheriff’s Office believes others may be involved and has stated that the investigation is ongoing.
In a separate case, Bingham is also facing a shoplifting charge stemming from a May 18 incident at the Walmart in Mt. Iron, where he allegedly stole $117.32 worth of merchandise by concealing it from staff.
