Brown County District Court

• A gross misdemeanor attempted theft charge was filed March 8, 2023 against Daniel L. Vallacher, 42, 831 Bradley Ave., Gibbon.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police were dispatched to Walmart, 1720 Westridge Road, at 1:55 p.m. Feb. 15, 2023. A store employee said a man tried to push a cart full of $201.56 worth of merchandise out of the store. When asked for a receipt, he fled the store, dropping his car keys on the way.

New Ulm Police Patrolman Chris Davis learned from a store asset protection (AP) employee who said he believed the suspect drove a 2014 Chevrolet Impala to the store and parked near the door he exited through. According to the license plate number given, the car was registered to David Vallacher.

The AP employee told police he recognized Vallacher because he previously tried to steal a shopping cart of merchandise on Jan. 1, 2023. That incident was not reported to police. A store associate working Jan. 1, 2023 submitted a statement that he was leaving the AP office when he saw a man come around the corner from the pharmacy area at a fast pace with a cart of unbagged merchandise.

The associate said the man did not go through the check out and passed the last point of sale, before the associate stopped him at the door. The associate asked to see a receipt and the man pushed the cart at him and ran, leaving the cart full of items valued at $611.17.

Officer Davis obtained surveillance stills to attempt to identify the theft suspect. New Ulm Police Investigator Tara Martin recognized Vallacher from past contacts. Investigator Martin located Vallacher’s most recent booking photos that were consistent with the man in surveillance stills.