Eagan Woman Charged with Possession of Burglary Tools After Crash

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An Eagan woman and a St. Paul man have been charged with possession of burglary tools after police found a crowbar, a bolt cutter and a hammer in their SUV following a car crash in Golden Valley last week.

Stacy Marie Schneider, 33, and John Manuel Contreras, 24, are charged with possession of burglary or theft tools, a felony with a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaints, signed by Golden Valley Police Detective David Kuhnly, police were called to an accident at Wayzata Boulevard and June Avenue South at about 7 a.m. Aug. 16.

Police found a Ford Expedition occupied by three people, which appeared to have crashed into a sound barrier wall on Interstate 394. The crash caused significant damage to the wall and damaged a nearby sign; the SUV had been driven a short distance away, but subsequently became completely disabled and couldn’t be driven, according to the complaints.

Police found the rear door of the SUV open, and they could see a “very large” bolt cutter, a large crowbar and a hammer on the back seat, the complaints say.

The driver, who identified herself as Schneider, told police that she owned the SUV. Because the area in which the accident occurred is fairly remote and accessible only through local neighborhood roads, officers asked Schneider why she was in the area.

Schneider told officers that they were driving from St. Paul and had gotten lost. She later said they had just left a casino and got lost trying to get to St. Paul, and she also told officers that she liked to go to “old neighborhoods with expensive houses” to look at them, according to the complaints.

The front-seat passenger was identified as Jason Matthew Williams, 30, of River Falls, Wis., and police discovered that he was being sought on a first-degree burglary warrant in Ramsey County. Williams was arrested and has been turned over to Ramsey County authorities.

The back-seat passenger was identified as Contreras, who told police that they had just left a casino. Both Schneider and Contreras appeared “nervous and upset,” according to the complaints.

All three people were wearing dark clothing, and Williams and Contreras had black gloves on them, the complaints say. Police found a small flashlight in Contreras’ pocket, and a third pair of camouflage gloves was found on top of a bush near the accident.

Officers found a large bag leaning against the barrier wall, and Schneider told police it belonged to Contreras. The bag contained a large amount of jewelry— including pearls, gold necklaces, diamond earrings, gold chains, jewelry boxes and $2 bills.

Police also found a receipt from a camera and video repair shop with an invoice in the name of a New Brighton man. That receipt was reported stolen along with other items during a burglary in Oakdale.

During a subsequent search, officers found a 14-inch screwdriver with the tip broken off, and more black gloves. The crowbar, bolt cutter and screwdriver were scuffed, dented and chipped and appeared to have been used many times.

The complaints note that Schneider and Contreras have extensive criminal records, including numerous convictions for burglary, identity theft and check forgery. Contreras also has a pending felony theft case in Hennepin County.

Both Schneider and Contreras have been released from custody on separate $5,000 bonds. An omnibus hearing in Schneider’s case is scheduled Sept. 26 and in Contreras’ case Oct. 4, both in Hennepin County District Court.