Idiot Of The Week
It was the definition of a really bad day for an Oakdale woman. She parked her car at work, came out later and it was gone.
When the woman told police about it they didn't believe her, because of what the thief had told them first.
"He notified the Bloomington police department he was going to repossess a car. Then he went out and stole the car," said Doug Johnson, Washington County Attorney.
But when the car finally turned up in Maplewood, the suspect's con game was revealed.
It started in a Bloomington parking lot for Health Partners. The woman found only an empty space where she had parked her car. While she was at work, the car thief was busy. He was calling police.
"It was different. I can't say it was creative, because it didn't work," said Johnson.
Investigators say Donald Alexander Steele was acting as a repo man. He copied the woman's VIN and license plate number, got himself a key and told Bloomington Police he'd taken possession of the woman's minivan and took off.
"He got stopped here in Washington County where he was charged with possession of stolen property which was the car, and also for stealing the car."
"I don't know how my uncle could do that to somebody," said Amanda Schnagl, Steele's niece.
Schnagl says she kicked him out a year ago for running a scam out of her house.
"He goes around to find a car to drive around for a couple of weeks," she said.
The owner of Kia Auto Sales says he worked with Steele in the past, and thought his repo business called W.I.T. Recovery was legitimate, until a few years ago.
"He was stealing money from customers. He was going to make a deal with customers," said Moe Kia of Kia Auto Sales.
Prosecutors and people who knew Steele say he would repossess a car, then hold it for ransom. Investigators say he told his latest victim he'd give her back her minivan if she paid him $640.
The County Attorney says Steele's essentially kidnapping cars, but maybe not this time. His next hearing is on the July 17.
Steele's criminal history includes convictions for forgery and domestic abuse among other things. Johnson says people who think they may have been Steele's victim in the past should call police.
When the woman told police about it they didn't believe her, because of what the thief had told them first.
"He notified the Bloomington police department he was going to repossess a car. Then he went out and stole the car," said Doug Johnson, Washington County Attorney.
But when the car finally turned up in Maplewood, the suspect's con game was revealed.
It started in a Bloomington parking lot for Health Partners. The woman found only an empty space where she had parked her car. While she was at work, the car thief was busy. He was calling police.
"It was different. I can't say it was creative, because it didn't work," said Johnson.
Investigators say Donald Alexander Steele was acting as a repo man. He copied the woman's VIN and license plate number, got himself a key and told Bloomington Police he'd taken possession of the woman's minivan and took off.
"He got stopped here in Washington County where he was charged with possession of stolen property which was the car, and also for stealing the car."
"I don't know how my uncle could do that to somebody," said Amanda Schnagl, Steele's niece.
Schnagl says she kicked him out a year ago for running a scam out of her house.
"He goes around to find a car to drive around for a couple of weeks," she said.
The owner of Kia Auto Sales says he worked with Steele in the past, and thought his repo business called W.I.T. Recovery was legitimate, until a few years ago.
"He was stealing money from customers. He was going to make a deal with customers," said Moe Kia of Kia Auto Sales.
Prosecutors and people who knew Steele say he would repossess a car, then hold it for ransom. Investigators say he told his latest victim he'd give her back her minivan if she paid him $640.
The County Attorney says Steele's essentially kidnapping cars, but maybe not this time. His next hearing is on the July 17.
Steele's criminal history includes convictions for forgery and domestic abuse among other things. Johnson says people who think they may have been Steele's victim in the past should call police.
posted by Dave at 1:10 PM
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