Three St. Paul, Minnesota, men, including one teenager, were arrested in Dallas County Tuesday morning on their way home from Omaha, where they allegedly stole catalytic converters from vehicles and took meth to stay awake.
Raw Taw, 28, of 1337 Arkwright St., #203, St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree theft, possession of burglary tools, first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Bo Gay Htoo, 24, of 519 St. Anthony Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree theft, possession of burglary tools, first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Eh Thaw, 19, of 1730 Minnehaha Ave., #E, St. Paul, Minnesota, was charged with second-degree theft, possession of burglary tools, first-offense possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The men were arrested about 6:15 a.m. Tuesday near the 104 mile marker of eastbound U.S. Interstate 80.
According to court records, Htoo was driving the 2007 Toyota Camry, and Taw was a passenger in the front seat and Thaw a passenger in the rear seat when the vehicle was stopped by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper for a traffic violation.
The trooper made contact with the occupants and allegedly “observed a small, plastic baggy containing methamphetamine sitting next to the back seat passenger,” according to court records, and the three men “appeared lethargic and had bloodshot, watery eyes.”
A probable-cause search of the vehicle allegedly disclosed “a methamphetamine bong in the glove box, a sawzall, saw blades, a jack, miscellaneous other tools and nine catalytic converters in the trunk. The catalytic converters has fresh saw cuts on them.”
According to court records, Htoo told the trooper “that the occupants of the car drove from Minnesota to Omaha, Nebraska, to steal catalytic converters overnight.” Htoo said that “he drove,” Thaw “jacked up the cars,” and Taw “would cut off the converters,” and each theft “took only one to two minutes.”
Htoo also “admitted all three occupants consumed methamphetamine” at about 3 a.m. in order “to keep them awake,” according to court records, and “they are addicted to methamphetamine.”
The value of the catalytic converts was estimated at $4,500.
The three Minnesotans are each held in the Dallas County Jail on a $5,000 cash-only bond. Each is scheduled for a preliminary hearing June 1 in Dallas County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
