Crime & Safety

Richfield Man Faces Felony for Attempting to Steal Air Conditioners

Richfield resident Russel Earnest Smith is being charged with felony theft.

Russell Earnest Smith, 36, of Richfield is being charged with felony theft after he, along with Pat Demars, allegedly attempted steal two air conditioning units and a condenser coil worth more than $3,000 from the Goodwin Company in Minneapolis.

According to the criminal complaint, a company employee noticed Smith and Demars loading the merchandise into Demars' truck on Aug. 5, 2011. A superior was notified and asked Smith and Demars for a work order for the equipment. When the two didn't produce a work order, they were ordered to unload the air conditioners and coils and were terminated as employees.

In addition, after an audit, the company noticed air conditioning units were missing and suspected Smith and Demars of taking them, according to the complaint.

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In a post-Miranda statement, Smith admitted that he attempted to take the air conditioning units and coils on Aug. 5. Smith is currently in custody.


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