Serial Thief Faces Felony Charges After String of Brazen Thefts
Updated to correct his age.
DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA—In a series of audacious thefts spanning several weeks, 38-year-old Andrew Nuta has been formally charged by the Dakota County Attorney's Office with aggregating thefts of over $1,000 and up to $5,000, constituting a felony offense under Minnesota Statute 609.52.2(a)(1) after a string of robberies back in March 2024.
According to the Statement of Probable Cause provided by the Dakota County Attorney's Office, the alleged theft spree began on March 9, 2024, when Nuta reportedly entered an Ulta Beauty Store in Eagan, Minnesota. Within minutes, he brazenly walked out of the store with a Dyson hair dryer valued at over a hundred dollars without attempting to pay. Surveillance footage obtained by investigating officers captured the incident, with Nuta identifiable wearing the same hat as in his official driver’s license photograph.
However, this was not an isolated event. Subsequent investigations revealed a pattern of similar thefts committed by Nuta at multiple locations of the same store chain. On March 14, 2024, Nuta allegedly struck again, this time at an Ulta Beauty in Burnsville, Minnesota, where he took another Dyson hair dryer with the security device still attached to the device, again without payment. Surveillance footage from this incident reportedly showed Nuta leaving in a vehicle matching the description of one registered in his name.
The thefts continued, with Nuta allegedly targeting the Ulta Beauty store in Apple Valley, Minnesota, on March 24, 2024, and returning to the Eagan Ulta Beauty on March 26, 2024, for yet another theft. In each instance, Nuta allegedly seized Dyson hair dryers and swiftly exited the premises without engaging in any form of transaction. The total value of the stolen items across all incidents amounted to a staggering $1,899.96.
Nuta's criminal history further compounds the gravity of the charges he faces as he has previous convictions for felony offenses, including first-degree burglary, felony theft, misdemeanor false information, felony drug charges, felony check forgery, and five separate charges for misdemeanor theft punctuating a pattern of unlawful behavior dating back over a decade. Additionally, he has pending cases for misdemeanor domestic violence and multiple counts of driving while intoxicated, underscoring the ongoing legal entanglements for Nuta.
Given these recent charges and his extensive criminal record, Nuta's first appearance hearing is scheduled for June 11, 2024, at 9 AM in Hastings, Minnesota. If convicted, Nuta could face a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and/or fines ranging from $3,000 to $10,000.
Written by: Will Wight
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