Man Reportedly Flees with Faucets from Golden Valley Menards

A Hopkins man is facing one count of aggregated theft, a felony, after allegedly blocking the security office door at the Golden Valley Menards and fleeing the store with a cart full of high-end bathroom merchandise.

On Jan. 25 at about 5:30 p.m., Golden Valley police were called to Menards for reports of theft.

According to a complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court, a shopper saw another man, later identified as Dana Hitchings, 42, of Hopkins, remove “high-end faucets and bath equipment from the store’s shelves” and place them in his cart.

Hitchings then moved his cart near the entrance of the store, Golden Valley police wrote in the complaint, moved a heavy-duty lumber cart in front of the store’s security office, blocking the door. An employee moved the cart, but Hitchings allegedly blocked the security door again. Once the door was barricaded for a second time, Hitchings fled the store with the cart full of unpaid merchandise.

In a post-miranda interview with Golden Valley Police, according to the complaint, Hitchings admitted that he stole the items and blocked the security door.

If found guilty, he could face up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.