A 44-year-old St. Paul man allegedly has a penchant for taking things that don't belong to him.
Daniel J. Shetka was charged last week in Ramsey County District Court with stealing surveillance cameras from the Arlington Hills Public Library in St. Paul. He was charged last month with stealing thousands of dollars' worth of extension cords from the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.
According to court documents, surveillance video showed a man later identified as Shetka stealing the cameras from the library at 1105 Greenbrier St. on July 12.
An informant led police to Shetka, who has been arrested for theft, auto theft, possession of burglary tools, criminal sexual conduct and drug crimes in the past. A search warrant affidavit said that police have searched Shetka's home at least five times in the past five years and have found stolen property and drugs each time.
Authorities didn't find the library's cameras during a search July 23 but did find a dozen other closed-circuit cameras, a search warrant affidavit said. The cameras stolen from the library were valued at $5,365 and cost $3,840 to install, the complaint said.
Shetka is charged with theft and receiving stolen property.
He also faces charges of aiding and abetting theft and possessing stolen property in connection with the theft of at least 40 rolls of heavy-duty extension cords valued at $25,000 to $40,000. The cords, which contain copper, were stolen between July 18 and July 21 from a subcontractor at the State Fairgrounds, authorities said.
PAT PHEIFER
