Published: October 28th, 2026 | Updated: October 28, 2026 at 10:35 AM.
APPLE VALLEY, MN: A 21-year-old Lakeville man has been charged with felony theft after allegedly grabbing an automotive part directly from a store employee's hands and fleeing an Apple Valley business in June, according to a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County District Court.
Gwamaka Godfrey Ngwala, 21, of Lakeville, faces one felony count of theft from a person in connection with the June 29, 2026, incident. The charge carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. According to the criminal complaint, Apple Valley police were dispatched to a retail store at about 5:46 p.m. on June 29 after receiving a report of a theft.
Employee Reports Starter Taken Directly From Hands
When officers arrived, they spoke with a store employee who described an encounter with a male customer who had entered the business requesting a replacement starter for a Nissan Altima. The employee told investigators that the customer, initially described as a shorter Black male believed to be approximately 17 years old, asked for the automotive part.
According to the complaint, the employee retrieved the requested starter and brought it to the counter. Before the transaction could be completed, the customer allegedly grabbed the part directly from the employee's hands and ran out of the store. The employee reported that the suspect entered the passenger seat of a white Chevrolet Traverse parked outside the business. However, the vehicle did not leave the parking lot. Instead, the suspect exited the Traverse and fled the area on foot.
The employee provided officers with cellphone video documenting portions of the incident, which investigators later used to help identify the individual involved.
Driver Tells Police He Was Hired to Repair Suspect's Vehicle
Investigators also interviewed the driver of the white Chevrolet Traverse, who provided additional details about his interactions with the suspect before and after the alleged theft.
According to the criminal complaint, the driver told officers that he worked as a mechanic on the side and had been contacted by a male individual seeking assistance with a vehicle repair. The mechanic reportedly met the individual in a parking lot where the vehicle needed repairs. After discussing the necessary work, the mechanic agreed to transport him to an auto parts store to obtain replacement parts.
The man subsequently entered the store while the mechanic remained outside. According to the driver's statement, when the individual returned to the Traverse, he got into the vehicle and yelled at the mechanic to drive away. The mechanic did not comply. The suspect then exited the vehicle and ran away on foot, leaving the mechanic behind.
During the investigation, the mechanic provided officers with the phone number the individual had used to contact him about the vehicle repair. He also supplied a partial photograph of the vehicle that was supposed to be repaired. Those details became important evidence in the investigation.
Phone Number and Cellphone Video Lead Investigators to Suspect
According to the complaint, an Apple Valley police officer investigating the incident used the phone number the mechanic provided to identify Ngwala as a possible suspect. Investigators determined that the phone number was associated with Ngwala, whose listed residence was in Lakeville. The officer subsequently reviewed Ngwala's driver's license photograph and compared it with the physical description provided by witnesses and the cellphone video recorded by the store employee.
According to the criminal complaint, the officer believed Ngwala matched both the witness description and the individual shown in the video. The investigator also noted that Ngwala had a distinctive hairstyle featuring blond-colored dreadlocks, which the officer considered an additional identifying characteristic. Based on the phone number, witness information and video comparison, authorities identified Ngwala as the individual allegedly responsible for taking the starter.
The criminal complaint does not specify the value of the stolen automotive part or indicate whether it was subsequently recovered.
Incident Appears Connected to Cedar Avenue Auto Parts Store
Although the criminal complaint identifies the location only as a retail store in Apple Valley, additional publicly available crime mapping information suggests the incident occurred at an automotive parts business along Cedar Avenue. Crime data published through LexisNexis, based on incident reports provided by the Apple Valley Police Department, indicates the reported theft appears to have occurred in the 15300 block of Cedar Avenue. That location corresponds with the area of a newer O'Reilly Auto Parts store.
However, the criminal complaint does not specifically identify O'Reilly Auto Parts as the business involved, and the charging document does not independently confirm the exact location. The connection is based on the reported incident location and corresponding police crime mapping data.
Why the Alleged Theft Is Charged as a Felony
Ngwala faces one count of felony theft under Minnesota Statute 609.52. While theft offenses are often classified according to the monetary value of the property involved, Minnesota law also provides enhanced penalties for certain circumstances, including property taken directly from another person.
In this case, prosecutors allege that Ngwala intentionally took property belonging to another person without consent and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of possession. The criminal complaint specifically alleges that the property was valued at no more than $1,000 but was taken directly from another person's possession. Because the employee allegedly held the automotive starter when it was taken, prosecutors charged the offense under the Minnesota law addressing theft from a person.
The felony charge carries the following potential penalties:
Charge Details - Felony Theft From a Person (Value $1,000 or less)
Maximum Imprisonment: 5 years
Maximum Fine: $10,000
The maximum penalties represent the statutory limits for the offense and do not necessarily reflect the sentence a court would impose if Ngwala were convicted.
First Court Appearance Scheduled for December 8th
According to court scheduling information, Ngwala's first appearance in Dakota County District Court is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. The court documents include a summons directing Ngwala to appear as instructed in the notice of hearing and respond to the criminal complaint. The summons also warns that failure to appear in court as directed will result in an arrest warrant being issued.
The documents provided do not indicate that Ngwala has been arrested in connection with the case. Rather, the court has issued a summons requiring his appearance. No mug shot is available at this time, since it is only a summons to appear. The case remains pending in Dakota County District Court. Ngwala is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This report is based on a criminal complaint filed in Dakota County District Court, accompanying court scheduling information, and crime mapping data attributed to the Apple Valley Police Department. Allegations contained in a criminal complaint have not been proven in court.
Written by: Will Wight
