Man Used Shaved Key to Steal Vehicle with $3,000 Worth of Items

A St. Paul Park man was recently found guilty of stealing a vehicle with more than $3,000 worth of items in it. 

Jeremy Earl Gronau, 33, was sentenced to 20 months in prison with credit for 161 days served. 

According to the complaint, The Oakdale Police Department pulled over a red Honda for speeding from Granada Avenue to Highway 5 on Sept. 14. The officer checked the license and found that the vehicle was reported stolen from the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis. The officer also found that Gronau's license had been revoked.

The owner of the vehicle reported that his car had more than $3,000 worth of property, including tools, clothing, car stereos and a GPS unit, the complaint states.

The owner said he had parked his car in the same spot for the last three years. He left his car in his regular spot around 6:45 a.m. on Sept. 13 and found it was missing at about 3:15 p.m.

Officers noted that the car's ignition was intact; the defendant had used a shaved key to start the car, according to the complaint. 

Gronau will have to pay restitution in the amounts of  $2,583.25, $2,500 and $450 to the victims.

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