A Minneapolis man is accused of stealing high-end multitools from Scheels in Eden Prairie across three visits after store security and police tracked him using surveillance video and a license-plate reader, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court.
Garrett Marcus McCown, 25, is charged with one gross misdemeanor count of theft for alleged incidents between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1. Scheels reported a total loss of $823.95.
According to the complaint, Eden Prairie police were alerted on Dec. 1 to a Flock license-plate reader hit tied to earlier thefts. Officers found McCown inside Scheels and, with an asset-protection employee, watched him on live CCTV.
Police say McCown went to the cutlery department, selected a multitool, and began examining accessories.
He concealed the multitool under his jacket and later hid the empty multitool packaging behind a pillar in the camping department before leaving the store without paying, the complaint said. Officers detained him moments later and found a multitool in his right front pants pocket valued at $221.98, the complaint said.
Scheels security also provided video from two earlier thefts. On Nov. 25 and Nov. 26, McCown allegedly entered the store, concealed multitools, discarded the packaging behind the same pillar, and left without paying. Those losses were valued at $249.99 and $351.98.
McCown was arrested on Dec. 1 and later released under conditions, including that he remain law-abiding and appear at all hearings. His first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 17 at the Hennepin County Ridgedale courthouse in Minnetonka, according to court records.
