Man allegedly stole car while in Apple Valley for job interview
Benito Hernandez Romo Jr.
Vehicle taken from transit station had key in ignition
A man who was in Apple Valley for a job interview is accused of stealing a car from the Apple Valley Transit Station.
According to the criminal complaint, 37-year-old Benito Hernandez Romo Jr. told police he was walking through the transit station’s parking lot Jan. 30 when he noticed a vehicle with keys in its ignition and decided to take it.
Apple Valley police spoke with the victim, who reported that his car key got stuck in the ignition when he parked at the transit station the morning of Jan. 30. In order to catch his bus, he left the key in the ignition and the car unlocked. When he returned from work at about 5:30 p.m. that day, his car was gone.
The vehicle was recovered Feb. 1 when Lakeville police pulled Romo over for an unrelated offense.
In a statement to police, Romo admitted taking the vehicle and said it was the first time he had stolen a car, according to the complaint.
Romo, of Richfield, was booked into the Dakota County Jail, where he remained as of Tuesday afternoon. He’s been charged with motor vehicle theft, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
—Andrew Miller
