A St. Paul man faces a felony charge of possessing burglary tools after a Woodbury officer stopped him following a report of a gas drive-off.
Jeffrey Michael Schwartz, 34, was at the Woodlane Drive SuperAmerica on Feb. 23 when he apparently left the gas station without paying for fuel, according to the complaint.
A Woodbury police officer followed Schwarz onto Interstate 694 and conducted a traffic stop.
Police noticed the vehicle’s license plate had been altered, and confirmed it was the car suspected in the gas drive-off.
The officer asked the man, identified as Schwartz, if he had forgotten to pay for the gas, and he acted as if his credit card wasn’t working, according to the complaint.
While talking with the driver, the officer noticed a knife and “window punch” in plain view on the center console, the complaint says.
A further check of the car after Schwarz was detained uncovered a set of keys that were filed down—they are known for being used by burglars or thieves, according to the complaint. A Leatherman tool and several unsecured razor blades were also found in the vehicle, a 1999 Ford.
Schwartz ultimately admitted he had pumped the gas and didn’t pay, and that he did not have a valid driver’s license, the complaint says. He has previously been arrested on theft and burglary charges.
If convicted on the latest offense, Schwartz faces up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
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