Crime & Safety

Man Sentenced on Burglary, Car Theft Convictions

Brian James Mehlhorn was sentenced in early March following incidents in Woodbury and Oakdale.

An Oakdale man was sentenced earlier this month following convictions on two burglaries and one car theft.

Brian James Mehlhorn, 30, who has a lengthy rap sheet according to state records, was sentenced to nearly two years in prison, with credit for 156 days served, following his convictions for:

  • a June 2012 motor vehicle theft at the 6800 block of Fourth Street Place in Oakdale;
  • a December 2011 burglary at an Ashwood Road apartment building’s garage in Woodbury; and
  • a March 2012 burglary at a 25th Street home in Oakdale.

Mehlhorn must also pay nearly $20,000 in combined in restitution to the victims. He is also a suspect in other cases.

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According to the criminal complaints:

Woodbury burglary

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Woodbury police were called in December 2011 on a report that an unattached garage at an apartment complex at the 6700 block of Ashwood Road had been burglarized, and tires and rims (valued at $2,424) and a $330 bicycle had been stolen.

Swabs from a crowbar found at the scene were sent to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for testing, and in November 2012 police got word that the sample matched Mehlhorn.

Oakdale burglary

Police were dispatched to the 25th Street home last March after a resident reported that two laptop computers, an iPhone, wallet and Chevy Equinox had been stolen.

The resident and his family were home asleep at the time of the thefts.

Investigators found that the victim’s credit cards had been used at a variety of locations, and a man in surveillance footage at those stores was later arrested on unrelated charges.

At the man’s home, police found items linked to Oakdale burglaries, and the man told officers he was with Mehlhorn during the 25th Street burglary and others.

Oakdale car theft

A resident in late June 2012 called police after her 2001 Audi was stolen from the street in front of her home, at the 6800 block of Fourth Street Place in Oakdale.

The keys had been taken from another unlocked vehicle parked in the driveway, the victim told police.

Oakdale officers learned from their counterparts in Lino Lakes that the vehicle had been driven by suspects involved in a credit card fraud case.

The car was later recovered in Maplewood, and inside the vehicle police found items that were sent to the BCA for DNA analysis. A cigarette was later linked to Mehlhorn, who was also identified in surveillance footage from the Lino Lakes case.


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