Police Say Man With Stolen SUV Caught in Minnetonka

A 22-year-old McGregor man was caught in Minnetonka driving a stolen car, according to police reports.

Russell James Hildebrand has been summonsed to court on a charge of theft of a motor vehicle, a felony.

On Feb. 4, an owner of a 1993 Chevy Suburban with Minnesota plates reported the vehicle stolen.

On Feb. 6, Minnetonka officers were on patrol in the area of Highway 169 and Minnetonka Blvd. when they observed the "vehicle make suspicious movements" with a partially obscured license plate. Officers found out that the vehicle had been reported stolen out of Blaine. Officers observed that the ignition column was half broken. The driver was identified as Hildebrand.

According to police, Hildebrand said he had purchased the vehicle Feb. 5 from a Craigslist ad for $800. He denied involvement in the theft but said he damaged the steering column to make the vehicle easier to drive, according to court documents.