Man charged after thefts from Golden Valley dealerships

Golden Valley auto thefts net charges

Charges have been filed in a string of thefts that occurred at auto businesses across Golden Valley last week. FOX 9’s Paul Blume has the update.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A man arrested over the weekend is now facing charges after deputies say he was behind the wheel of a stolen Camaro, as authorities investigated a string of luxury vehicle thefts in Golden Valley.

Thirty-three-year-old Brian Baragar, of Sandstone, Minnesota, is charged with fleeing a peace officer, damage to property, and receiving stolen property. Baragar was also previously charged with burglary related to a break-in at a Minnetonka dealership.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office announced Friday that Baragar was arrested after he was allegedly spotted behind the wheel of a stolen Porsche that was later found in north Minneapolis. The following morning, deputies tracked him down to a Wendy's parking lot, where he was driving a blue Camaro. According to the charges filed on Monday, that Camaro was one of the vehicles lifted from a Golden Valley dealership on Aug. 15.

At Wendy's, deputies used their squads to box him in. The charges state: "[Baragar] used the Camaro to repeatedly ram squads in an attempt to break free. An officer eventually pinned the Camaro against a tree, disabling it."

Even after getting stuck, deputies say Baragar kept spinning his tires and revving the engine. According to the charges, he had to be pulled from the driver's seat.

"The suspect in this case showed disregard for community members and law enforcement with his actions. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to apprehend criminals endangering our communities," said Sheriff Dawanna Witt in a statement last week.

The sheriff's office says Baragar is the primary suspect in the west metro car thefts. Deputies say he has 25 prior felony convictions and is currently on probation for another vehicle theft in Mille Lacs County in June 2022.

UPDATE: Baragar was charged Tuesday with the break-in at the detailing center.

Brian Baragar's distinctive facial and neck tattoos allowed authorities to quickly identify him as the ringleader in a series of upscale car thefts in Golden Valley. Surveillance footage from Morrie’s Reconditioning Center this month shows the culprits forcibly entering the garage and subsequently infiltrating. They departed with seven vehicles, notably including a brand-new Maserati valued at over $120,000.

Chief Virgil Green of the Golden Valley Police mentioned, "These individuals have been leveraging these stolen vehicles in committing other grave crimes." He added, "Everyone deserves a chance to bond out, but repeat offenders should be contained to prevent such incidents. Had he been behind bars, the thefts in Golden Valley might have been averted."