Twin Cities Man Faces Car Theft Charges in St. Cloud

ST. CLOUD -- A Maplewood man faces stolen car charges after taking a Chevy Malibu for a test drive at a St. Cloud dealership.

According to the criminal complaint, 18-year-old Ronald Smith Jr. test drove the car from Tenvoorde Ford March 29th. Afterward, he asked if he could take the car to his uncle who is a mechanic. Smith gave the salesman a temporary driver's license with a false name and signed a rental agreement to return the car the following day.

The employee texted Smith about the car when Smith failed to return it on March 30th. He got a return text from Smith apologizing and saying he got delayed. The employee sent a follow-up text saying that if the car wasn't returned on the 31st, it would be reported stolen.

Nearly two weeks later, Buffalo police spotted the stolen car and pulled it over. Smith was in the passenger seat and allegedly gave the officer a false name. He denied involvement in the theft.

Smith was brought into custody and was picked out of a six-person lineup as the person who took the car.

Smith was booked into the Stearns County Jail, then taken to the Hennepin County Jail to face an outstanding arrest warrant there. A warrant has been issued to return Smith to St. Cloud to face the car theft charges after his Hennepin County case is resolved.