Burglary victims of alleged father-son team frustrated to learn duo are back out awaiting court date
Oct. 27—Burglary victims around the metro area were surprised to learn Wednesday that the father and son team charged with stealing from them had been released, pending their next court appointments. Both men have several open cases in multiple counties for burglary and multiple convictions for prior burglaries as well as a penchant for returning to stealing while on probation.
Records show that Arron Scott King Sr., 46, of St. Paul, who made his first appearance Oct. 11, was granted a conditional release by Ramsey County District Court Judge John Guthmann. The Department of Corrections confirmed that he was put on electronic home monitoring.
His son, Arron Scott King Jr., 22, of Newport, who made his first appearance Sept. 14, was granted a conditional release by Ramsey County Judge Adam Yang.
King Jr.'s public defender, Aaron Haddorff, confirmed his client had been released under pre-trial supervision. He said King Jr. had no comment at this time.
"I think it's wrong," said Bill Christenson, owner of Dick's Bar and Grill in Osseo. "If you do something wrong, you should pay for your actions. By releasing them, you are saying, 'Go ahead and rob somebody else. You'll get released again.'"
Christenson was in the bar June 30, 2020 when, according to charges, the Kings broke through his glass door looking for his safe. He yelled and they ran off without getting anything, but the damage cost him $1,000, he said.
Court documents show the Kings have been caught and convicted and then returned to stealing, often while on supervised release.
King Sr. has 11 prior burglary convictions. King Jr. has two prior theft convictions and two prior burglary convictions.
Their method of operation, according to records, has been to smash through glass doors of bars or clubs after closing time and grab either the safe, the ATM machine or the pull tabs which raise money for local groups, such as firefighters and high school sports teams.
King Sr. has open burglary cases in Hennepin, Ramsey, Carver and Dakota counties for eight separate burglaries in 2020.
King Jr. has open burglary cases in Anoka, Hennepin, Dakota and Ramsey counties for six separate burglaries in 2020.
Richard Berget Jr., owner of the Linwood Country Store in Wyoming, said the same crew came back twice in one week. They busted the front glass door. He boarded it up and they returned a week later, July 4, 2020, and broke through another entrance. It cost him around $5,000 to replace both doors.
"The cops have a hard time," Berget said. "They go catch the bad guys and the judicial system lets them go on the catch and release program. Eventually something bad will happen."
The Ramsey County burglary was at Ol' Mexico Restaurante and Cantina in Roseville.
The Kings are charged with stealing $1,920 from an ATM machine and $4,437 from the pull tabs. That restaurant is now closed.
According to charges, the Sports Page bar in Bloomington was burglarized by the Kings Oct. 11, 2020. A safe containing $8,000 in cash was stolen from the pull tab booth cabinet.
"It was kind of a shock," said part-owner Becky Rademacher. The bar has been robbed twice more since. Police told her they think it was by different people.
In most cases, bar owners captured the thefts on video surveillance, had the names of the suspects from their credit cards they used during earlier visits, and had a description of their dark-colored van, complete with stick figure stickers on the back window.
Sticks Tavern, in Chaska, was open the day they were robbed. Two entered, one ordered fries, sending the employee to the back. Then, both made off with $5,000 in pull tab money, charges say.
King Sr. and another man, Cory Jay Rosillo, 50, of St. Paul have been charged with that theft.
Stick's co-owner Keith Hinrichs said he was "angry" and "frustrated" by the burglary and said they have taken extra precautions to protect themselves.
King Sr.'s next court appearance in Ramsey County is set for April 2. King Jr. next appears before a judge Dec. 10.
