On 5/14/2026 the Auto Theft Prevention Unit with the Minneapolis Police Department deployed a bait vehicle, MN 067-UBT, on 33rd Avenue North, west of Logan Avenue North in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, facing west bound with the doors unlocked and the keys on the center council. The bait vehicle was inspected before deployment. This location was predetermined based on crime analysis showing that this area has been experiencing a high number of auto thefts and thefts from motor vehicles.
This vehicle belongs to the Minneapolis Police Department, and no one has permission to enter, drive, or possess the vehicle. This bait vehicle has a silent alarm and a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking system. There is also audio/video monitoring/recording equipment within the vehicle. On 05/17/2026 at approximately 03:18 hours, the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center (MECC), using tracking software installed in their monitoring center, received an activation alert on the above-listed bait vehicle.
MECC began streaming live video and audio from inside the vehicle and observed one male suspect enter and steal the vehicle. The suspect, later identified as CHARLES MARQECE CLOPTON [DOB REDACTED], stole the vehicle. Officers located the vehicle and ordered the vehicle to be disabled. The vehicle pulled over and officers initiated a felony stop on the vehicle. CLOPTON was arrested without incident and was booked at HCJ for PC Auto Theft. The system makes a video/audio recording of the activation until the call is deactivated remotely.
This activation contained audio and 2 camera views, 1 exterior and 1 interior. The following is a summary of the recording. The stamps below are in minutes and seconds. The video begins with the driver's door opening and a male, later identified as CHARLES MARQECE CLOPTON [DOB REDACTED], sits into the driver's seat. He is wearing a hoodie with the hood up. He then picks up the keys and places them in the ignition. He starts the vehicle at the 00:09 mark on the video and drives away at 00:18. He drives a few blocks and pulls over at 00:52 mark and starts searching the interior of the vehicle.
He attempts to open the trunk but cannot. He starts driving again at 03:25. At 05:54 he starts watching his rearview mirror and you can see headlights approaching from the rear. He then turns onto Morgan Avenue North and is watching his rearview mirror. The vehicle behind him also turns and he quickly pulls to the side of the road and shuts off the vehicle. The vehicle behind him is a marked Minneapolis Police squad car, which then turns on its emergency lights. Officers exit and order CLOPTON out of the vehicle.
At 06:23 CLOPTON puts his hands in the air and exits the vehicle. CLOPTON is currently in custody for this offense and committed this offense while pending sentencing on a 3rd Degree Burglary charge in ••-CR-••-••••. At this time, the State requests higher bail than usual since CLOPTON was pending sentencing on another felony when he committed this offense.
