A Saint Anthony man tried to steal a pickup truck in Maplewood, ran from officers and, after his arrest, tried to unlock his handcuffs with a safety pin, according to the complaint.
Robert Millhouse Wilson, 37, faces six charges: second-degree attempted burglary, attempted motor vehicle theft, attempted escape from custody, third-degree property damage, fleeing a peace officer on foot and giving a false name to police.
At about 9:55 a.m. on September 23, Maplewood police responded to a report of an attempted auto theft at a residence in Ramsey County. The complaint states that a family member saw an unknown man inside a 2016 Chevrolet Silverado parked outside the home. When an officer arrived, family members pointed out the man at the side of the house.
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When an officer ordered the man to stop, he fled on foot, climbing over a fence and running into a wooded area. Police set up a perimeter and began searching with a K9 unit. During the search, officers learned the man had tried to enter a nearby home by manipulating the front door handle, as captured on CCTV footage.
The search continued to the parking lot of the Saint Paul Hmong Alliance church, where a pastor told officers that an unknown man had just entered the building. The church janitor said the man walked in and quickly left through the lower east doors. An officer went out those doors and spotted him, and Ramsey County deputies took him into custody.
While in custody, Wilson gave officers a false name and birthdate. As police tried to confirm his identity, an officer noticed Wilson moving around in the squad car and discovered he was attempting to unlock his handcuffs with a safety pin.
Officers spoke with the homeowner where the Silverado was parked, who said the truck belonged to a relative. A woman in the home told police she looked outside when the dog started barking and saw Wilson in the truck. Another family member reviewed Ring door camera footage and saw the man tampering with the vehicle, then called police. Officers saw that the Silverado’s steering column had been freshly cracked open, exposing the ignition wires, and the homeowner estimated the damage at $500.
The complaint says Wilson was convicted of auto theft in a 2022 case, and that he was arrested while driving stolen vehicles in February and August of this year in cases that are still pending.
About This Charge
Minnesota classifies burglary by degree under § 609.582. First-degree burglary, such as entering a home while someone is inside, carries up to 20 years in prison. Second-degree burglary, which includes entering any dwelling, carries up to 10 years, third-degree up to five years, and fourth-degree burglary is a gross misdemeanor. Possessing burglary or theft tools is charged separately under § 609.59 and carries up to three years.
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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.
