Store employees told Officers an adult male took two packs of Camel cigarettes and fled the store at approximately 5:41 am. The value of the cigarettes was $26.24. The suspect was described as wearing a dark pants and a red sweatshirt. Victim #1 provided Officers surveillance video of the theft. At approximately 4:41 pm, Officers were dispatched to a second retail store (Victim #2) for a theft of a carton of cigarettes. Store employees told Officers an adult male grabbed a carton of cigarettes from the store and fled on foot.
The value of the cigarettes was $118.00. The suspect was described as wearing a red hat and dark pants and a black coat. Officers showed store employees video footage from Victim #1, and the employees confirmed it was the same suspect. Officers were dispatched to a third retail store (Victim #3) for a reported theft of a carton of cigarettes. The suspect matched the description of the suspect that stole cigarettes from Victim #1 and Victim #2. Store employees said the suspect entered the store and asked for a carton of cigarettes.
The employee put the carton down on the cash register table. The suspect told the employee he needed to get money from his vehicle. He returned a few minutes later and attempted to grab the carton of cigarettes. The employee picked up the carton, and the suspect forcefully pulled the carton out of the employee’s hands. He then fled the store on foot. The suspect matched the description of the suspect that store from Victim #1 and Victim #2. Officers drove in the area looking for people that matched the description of the suspect.
Officers saw the suspect (later identified as Brian Alan Sundquist, [DOB REDACTED] (“Defendant”)) nearby. As Officers attempted to stop Defendant, he ran away from Officers. He ran between houses and hid behind a vehicle. Officers ran after Defendant into a front yard. Defendant stopped at a gate for a short time. Officers caught up to him. Defendant slammed the gate at Officers in an attempt to get away. Officers were able to push Defendant to the ground. Defendant said he was “done”. Defendant was handcuffed and walked back to the squad car.
Without prompting, Defendant admitted taking cigarettes and said he ditched them near where he ran. Defendant was transported to the Winona County Jail without incident. At the Jail Defendant was read his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with Officers. Defendant was shown video footage from Victim #1 and Victim #2. Defendant admitted it was him in the video and he had stolen the cigarettes. Defendant also admitted stealing the carton from the store employee in Victim #3. Defendant demonstrated for Officers how he forcibly pulled the carton out of the employee's hands. 3 85-CR-25-2381 Filed in District Court State of Minnesota 12/29/2025 PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: Pursuant to Minn.
