Brown County District Court

• A gross misdemeanor theft charge was filed Tuesday against Robert Lugo Jr., 35, Fairmont. According to court documents, a New Ulm Police officer responded to a theft report at Walmart at 6:10 p.m. Monday.

A store loss prevention associate (witness) said he noticed a shopping cart on the east side of the building Sunday. Surveillance footage showed a man he identified through previous encounters as Lugo put items into a shopping cart at about 6:16 p.m. Lugo then left the store through a garden center fire exit without paying for the items in his cart.

The witness said he recognized Lugo by his face tattoo below his left eye and recognized the vehicle he was seen in that day. The officer compared photos of Lugo on his Facebook page with surveillance footage and positively identified Lugo as the person from the theft.

The witness reviewed the transaction and determined Lugo took $548.71 worth of merchandise.