Sauk Centre man charged with vehicle theft

Roberto Raya-Park, 24, Sauk Centre, was charged in Morrison County District Court with one felony count of theft of a motor vehicle.

The charge stems from a June 30 incident, when the Morrison County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 35-foot motorhome (RV) being stolen from a residence on McGraw Lane in Morrison County. A deputy responded to the report and met with the owner of the RV. The owner stated that the RV was parked outside of her garage with the keys inside of it. She stated that she was inside the house when the RV was stolen, according to the report.

The deputy noted that whoever stole the RV left a Chevy Malibu on the property. Inside the Chevy Malibu was a wallet and an iPhone. The wallet contained a Minnesota ID card and temporary license for Raya-Park, per the report. The driver side door of the vehicle was left open and the vehicle was still running. The deputy later contacted the registered owner of the vehicle. She stated that she was out of state on vacation and that her son, identified as Raya-Park, was using her vehicle. She stated that she had not heard from her son since the prior day.

On July 1, the registered owner contacted the deputy and stated that Raya-Park had called her. Raya-Park allegedly told her he did not know where her vehicle was, but he was in the city of Sauk Rapids. Raya-Park admitted to his mother that he had recently used drugs, according to the report.

Using this information, the deputy contacted the Sauk Rapids Police Department and Benton County Sheriff’s Office to try to locate Raya-Park and the stolen RV. The RV was later located in the parking lot of an apartment building in Sauk Rapids. The keys were still in the RV and it appeared that the RV had been rummaged through, per the report. Raya-Park was located by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and placed under arrest for the theft of the RV. Raya-Park was later transported to the Morrison County Jail.

According to the report, surveillance video from the apartment building in Sauk Rapids showed a man entering the apartment building after the RV was parked in the lot. The man in the video matches the appearance of the suspect, Raya-Park.

If convicted on the felony charge, Raya-Park faces up to five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.