Princeton liquor store thief found guilty

By DAWN SLADE
Mille Lacs County Times
Posted 5/15/03

Randy Wayne Surratt, 45, of Rockford was found guilty of burglary in the third degree on Monday, May 5 by a Mille Lacs County jury. The theft took place at the Princeton Municipal Liquor Store in September, 2002.

Surratt, along with Miles Marten Conrad, 45, of New Brighton, attempted to steal from a liquor store in Zimmerman in February, which led to their arrest.

The two are suspected in several other liquor store thefts in other cities and counties as well.

Margaret Genung, owner of Uptown Off Sale in Zimmerman, was working the store by herself on Feb. 17 when she suspected the two men, who entered the store separately, were up to no good.

Their typical scam was that one of the men would distract the store clerk with questions, while the other stole money from the cash register or from the office safe.

But, Genung knew something wasnıt right and she kept a close eye on both men, phoning the police once they left.

Princeton police officer Todd Frederick overheard information on the police radio regarding the suspicious men and asked the Sherburne County Sheriffıs office to hold the men for possible identification in the Princeton case.

The Princeton Municipal Liquor Store had installed a new surveillance system which captured clear photographs of the two men and Frederick was able to positively identify them.

Assistant county attorney Cory Tennison said, ³The Princeton Police Department did a great job in the follow-up investigation, officer Frederick specifically who put out the BCA alert, which eventually led to their arrest.²

Surratt was found guilty of aiding and advising burglary in the third degree and theft in the third degree.

Surratt could receive 27 months in prison, but because of his high criminal history score he could possibly get up to 60 months if an upward departure is requested by the county.

Surratt has been charged in Chisago County and is still under investigation in several others.

He is currently in the Mille Lacs County Jail waiting sentencing, which is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17.

Surrattıs partner, Conrad, has an active warrant for his arrest for failing to appear in court on Monday, May 5.