ST. AUGUSTA, MN (KNSI) — A Melrose man is facing multiple charges after allegedly breaking into a construction trailer in St. Augusta and stealing thousands of dollars in tools and equipment.
Jimmy Ray Issac Ansiel, 39, was arrested early Friday, August 9, around 2:00 a.m. after a brief foot chase. Deputies say he was found hiding in tall grass near a construction site on County Road 136.
The incident began when the site’s owner noticed suspicious activity on surveillance cameras and contacted the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office. The caller reported that a man had tampered with his camera after arriving at the construction site.
When deputies arrived, they found a pickup truck with plastic bags covering the license plates, the side door of an enclosed trailer pried open, and lights on inside the home under construction.
Ansiel emerged from behind the trailer, briefly complied with officers, then fled on foot. He was captured shortly afterward by a second deputy and found lying in tall grass, trying to hide.
The site owner arrived and confirmed $3,650 worth of tools and equipment were stolen and loaded into Ansiel’s truck. Additional items were stacked outside the trailer, apparently ready to be taken. A damaged lock was also found, adding $25 in property damage.
A search of Ansiel revealed Sawzall blades and a chisel tool in his sweatshirt. Deputies also recovered a bolt cutter in the truck’s bed and two cordless grinders in the cab, none of which belonged to the owner.
Once the plastic was removed from the license plates, officers confirmed the truck was registered to Ansiel’s mother.
Ansiel was booked into Stearns County Jail and charged with:
Felony theft
Felony possession of burglary/theft tools
Misdemeanor criminal damage to property
Misdemeanor fleeing on foot
He appeared in court on Monday. A future court date has not yet been scheduled.
