Brown County District Court

• Gross misdemeanor theft charges were filed Dec. 4 against Scott Allan Swenstad, 57, Mankato and Thursday against Michael Eric Blomquist, 53, 316 S. German St., New Ulm.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police responded to a theft report at 1:07 p.m. Sept. 6 at Menards. A store manager told police two men entered the store parking lot in a red Ford Ranger at about 2:36 p.m. Sept. 5. One man entered the store, grabbed a shopping bag and cart and went to the electrical department. The other man stayed in the vehicle.

A few minutes later, the other man entered the store and met the first man in the electrical department. One of the men asked questions to a store employee while the other man began loading the shopping bag and a five-gallon bucket with items. At about 3:11 p.m., one man left the store with merchandise and unloaded it into the vehicle and re-entered the store at 3:24 p.m. carrying the same shopping bag and grabbed another five-gallon bucket.

The two men met and went to the service department to ask about returns. When the store employee told the two men they would need identification, they left the store with a bucket of items.

After reviewing store surveillance video, officers identified the two men as Swenstad and Blomquist and learned the Ford Ranger was registered to Swenstad. The store manger reviewed store surveillance video and determined the men took $773.79 worth of merchandise.