Teen charged in Eggroll Queen food truck theft
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - An 18-year-old man is facing a felony charge for allegedly stealing a bag of cash from the Eggroll Queen food truck at the South St. Paul Farmers Market.
Prosecutors charged 18-year-old Frank Gums Jr. on Monday with one felony count of theft.
According to the charges, the bag taken on Sept. 13 contained approximately $20,000 to $30,000 in cash, jewelry, two electronic devices, and checkbooks belonging to the victim and the business.
Officers obtained surveillance videos from businesses near the food truck at the time of the theft, which captured the license plate of the vehicle allegedly used by Gums in his getaway, charges explained.
The vehicle used in the theft was reported missing in late August. A woman informed police that "Frank Johnson", who is believed to be Gums, had taken her vehicle, which officials thought to be the same vehicle that the suspect used in the food truck theft.
According to the charges, a few days after the food truck theft, the same woman received a FaceTime call from Gums where he allegedly showed her two green bags containing large sums of cash and checks belonging to the food truck. Gums told her he bought an egg roll, watched the food truck for two hours, and then stole from them.
Police found the suspect vehicle at a motel in Bloomington, and confirmed that Gums was renting a room with the woman who was believed to be with him at the time of the food truck theft. Police obtained a search warrant for the room but found nothing.
Known photographs of Gums appeared to match the male in the surveillance videos of the theft, same with the woman who was with Gums at the time of the theft, charges explained.
Police obtained a search warrant for Gums’ phone and tracked the location to a motel in St. Paul on Sept. 22, where they found Gums, the female suspect, and another woman in the room.
Both Gums and the female suspect were arrested at the motel. Gums denied stealing the bag from the food truck, according to court documents.
Gums made his first appearance in court Monday afternoon.