A Forest Lake man broke into a pickup truck in a Maplewood parking lot, stole a shotgun and debit card, then used the stolen card at two White Bear Lake stores before officers found the weapon hidden in his minivan, prosecutors say.
Thomas James Gear, 34, faces three felony charges: theft, possessing a firearm as a person barred due to prior convictions and aiding and abetting financial transaction card fraud.
According to the complaint, the victim reported on September 9 that a 12-gauge Benelli shotgun and debit card had been stolen from his Silverado while parked at Bachman’s in Maplewood. The victim noticed unauthorized purchases on his debit card that same day at O’Reilly Auto Parts and Iron Bear Tobacco in White Bear Lake.
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Surveillance video from the Bachman’s parking lot showed a blue Chrysler Town and Country minivan parked next to the Silverado. FLOCK camera data identified the minivan’s license plates as NUT649. Video showed a man, later identified as Gear, getting out of the minivan’s driver’s seat, entering the Silverado’s passenger door, rummaging inside and then leaving in the minivan.
Investigators spoke with employees at the auto parts store, who confirmed that Gear was present for the purchase and had used a loyalty card linked to his name. An employee recognized Gear from previous bad checks at the store. Surveillance video from the tobacco store showed Gear’s girlfriend using the victim’s debit card to make a purchase.
On September 12, 2026, officers stopped Gear and his girlfriend in the Chrysler minivan. Both were arrested. Officers executed a search warrant on the minivan and found the stolen shotgun broken down and hidden in a black sweatshirt, along with the victim’s shotgun case.
Gear’s girlfriend declined to give a statement. Gear, after being advised of his rights, admitted to being in the minivan, entering the Silverado and taking bags without his girlfriend’s knowledge. He said he gave her the stolen debit card to use at the stores but did not tell her it was stolen. Gear also admitted in jail calls to his mother that he stole the gun and had it in the minivan.
The complaint notes Gear has nine prior felony convictions, including a felony methamphetamine possession conviction in Wisconsin and a gross misdemeanor conviction in Goodhue County. Gear is barred from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his drug convictions.
At the time of these offenses, Gear was awaiting trial on multiple other felony charges in Ramsey County, including theft, financial transaction card fraud and receiving stolen property.
Gear was set to appear in court Tuesday, September 15.
About This Charge
Minnesota’s weapons offenses include § 624.713 (felon in possession of a firearm, five-year mandatory minimum for a prior crime of violence), § 609.66 (dangerous weapons, including drive-by shooting at § 609.66 subd. 1e) and § 609.165 (firearm restoration after a felony). Discharge of a firearm within a municipality is charged under § 609.66 subd. 1a.
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Jurisdictional Context
Ramsey County encompasses Saint Paul and is served by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. Felony cases are heard in the Second Judicial District at the Ramsey County Courthouse in downtown Saint Paul; the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office operates the Ramsey County Correctional Facility in Maplewood.
