Crime & Safety

Woman Charged with Stealing Tools—Three Times—from Golden Valley Store

Police say Jana Marie Lalonde made separate visits to the Golden Valley Menards and stole $1,295 in tools.

A Bloomington woman has been charged with making three separate visits to the Golden Valley , stealing tools and then pawning them for the cash.

Jana Marie LaLonde, 26, is charged with felony theft, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, signed by Officer Kristian Hoefling, a Menards loss prevention employee monitoring surveillance cameras saw a woman select an 18-volt Bosch compact drill driver, valued at $199, on May 15, then leave the store without paying for it.

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The employee told police that he left the office in pursuit, but the woman—later identified as LaLonde—got away before he could catch her.

On May 17, the employee said, he saw the same woman come into the store, select a $249 laser level and leave through the store’s garden center, again without paying for the item.

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LaLonde returned to the store on June 4 and collected a $199 Hitachi router kit, a $199 Rockwell sonicrafter and a $449 laser level, according to the complaint. Again, she left the store without paying for the items, but the loss prevention employee was able to apprehend her and notify police.

Police arrested LaLonde and interviewed her. She admitted to all three thefts and told police that she had pawned the stolen merchandise, according to Hoefling’s account.

LaLonde is free on a $5,000 bond. An omnibus hearing in her case is scheduled Aug. 1 in Hennepin County District Court.


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