Washington state man arrested in connection with Menards theft ring
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Police in a St. Louis suburb have arrested two men accused in a multistate theft ring involving Menards stores, including one in Jefferson City.
Marian Firu, of Renton, Washington, was arrested after Jefferson City police alerted St. Peters, Missouri, police that people who stole from the local Menards were headed to St. Peters, according to a Jefferson City Police Department news release.
On Tuesday night Marian Firu was caught on camera walking into the Menards located on Stonecreek Drive in Jefferson City around 9:34pm, according to the probable cause statement. He went to the electric circuit breaker section of the store and began concealing circuit breakers in his coat pocket before leaving the store and fleeing the scene in a white Toyota Sienna van within five minuets.
Firu stole $3,384 worth of circuit breakers, according to the probable cause statement.
"We got a call from our business here in town and from that investigation we determined that they had been to several Menards stealing, apparently the same items," Lieutenant Dave Williams of the Jefferson City Police Department said.
Using security camera’s police were able to locate his van in the St Peters,Missouri area.
Willams says that Menards from across the central Missouri area where notified that Firu would likely attempt to conduct another theft at their location. Shortly after, employees at the St Peters Menards saw Firu enter the store.
When police arrived, Firu tried to run away but was eventually detained, according to the probable cause statement. He still had the circuit breakers on him at the time of his arrest.
Williams says the arrest would not have been possible without the help from local law enforcement agencies.
"Between the Menards and other law enforcement agencies we were able to determine they were in the St. Louis area... law enforcement as a whole worked together and jurisdictions have information. We share information and so we determine that someone may be a suspect in another jurisdiction we work with them and share information and try to develop leads to help each other."
Another suspect in the Jefferson City theft who was also arrested has an upcoming deportation hearing and local authorities are trying to have both suspects brought back to Boone County. Firu is charged in Cole County with one count of felony stealing.
The Jefferson City press release alleges that Firu was part of a multi-state theft ring spanning from Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri that involved nineteen stores.
The FBI told ABC 17 News that they have seen multi-state rings like this before but do not have enough information to determine why Firu chose to come to the Midwest.
Firu has a no-bond warrant for his arrest in Cole County, according to online court records and is currently being held in St. Louis.
