Two Charged After Allegedly Stealing $2,400 in Cigarettes and Lighters from Apple Valley Business
Published: March 23rd, 2026 |
APPLE VALLEY: Two individuals are facing felony theft charges following an alleged coordinated theft at an Apple Valley business, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County.
According to the complaint, on October 27, 2025, officers with the Apple Valley Police Department responded to a report of a theft at a local business. Employees reported that a woman distracted staff members while a man entered a back room and took merchandise.
The complaint states the items taken included 16 cartons of cigarettes and two cases of disposable lighters, with a total estimated value of approximately $2,400.
Investigators reviewed store surveillance footage, which the complaint says identified the individuals as 62-year-old Bobby Earl Johnson and 52-year-old Tominka Denise Sanders.
According to the complaint, surveillance footage showed the two entering the store multiple times that day. During those visits, they allegedly selected merchandise, concealed it on their persons, and left without paying.
The complaint further states that Johnson was seen entering a back storage area and removing multiple items before leaving the store, while Sanders remained in the front of the business speaking with employees. The two were also observed together outside on surveillance footage.
Johnson and Sanders have each been charged with one count of theft of property valued between $1,000 and $5,000, a felony under Minnesota law.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.