ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) -
Charges were filed Wednesday against two men in the theft of $24,000 from a safe at the French Meadow Bakery building at the Minnesota State Fair.
On Aug. 25, the operator of the French Meadow booth noticed his cash-on-hand from two days worth of State Fair sales was missing from the safe. He and his wife were asleep inside the building at the time of the reported theft, which was discovered at 4 a.m. that morning as he prepared for the day.
Eric Landon Massey, 50, and Robert Lee Love, 52, are charged with one count each of first-degree burglary for the alleged theft.
According to the charges, the French Meadow building was equipped with video surveillance that captured two men entering the booth, breaking into a locked office and loading something into promotional State Fair bags before leaving. One of the men was seen wiping off anything they touched with a towel.
Police reviewed the video and identified Massey and Love as the suspects, based on past contact with both men.
Massey denied ever being at the Minnesota State Fair, saying he and Love were at Grand Casino in Hinckley. When Massey was shown a still photo of proving he was inside the French Meadow building, he admitted to entering several buildings but said he was only following Love.
Massey eventually acknowledged there may be more money stored at his apartment, where police executed a search warrant and found $9,368 in hidden cash.
Massey has at least 14 felony convictions for burglary, robbery, manslaughter, forged checks, cocaine possession and other crimes. Love has five prior felony convictions for bank robbery, theft, credit card fraud and burglary.
