Woman Previously Charged in Eagan Steak-Knife Incident Now Accused of Shoplifting

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A St. Paul woman who was charged in May with chasing an Eagan man down the street with a steak knife and threatening to stab him has now been charged with trying to steal more than $1,000 worth of items from Target in Burnsville. 

Shelly Jean Brown, 43, 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, Burnsville police were called to Target just before 8 p.m. July 14 on a shoplifting report.

A loss prevention employee told police that Brown was seen moving through the store, selecting items and putting them in her shopping cart. Brown put clothing and larger items on top of smaller items in her cart, putting some things beneath the cart and apparently arranging items “in a particular way,” according to the complaint.

Brown went through a checkout line and put some of the items in her cart on the belt, then paid for them. However, she left other items in the cart and walked toward the store’s exit. When she reached the security towers, loss prevention staff apprehended her.

Brown admitted to loss prevention staff that she had taken the merchandise for personal use. Store employees determined that she had concealed and failed to pay for 72 items valued at $1,150.

She told police that she had advised the cashier of the other items in or under her cart, but that the cashier failed to ring them up. Brown called the incident a “misunderstanding,” according to the complaint.

Brown was released on her promise to make all future court appearances. An omnibus hearing in her case is scheduled Aug. 28 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.