COKATO, MN – A St. Paul man was arrested in Dassel Saturday and charged with theft from two gas stations along Highway 12 – Casey’s in Montrose and Cenex in Cokato, according to the Wright County Sheriff’s office.

Steven Duncan, 52, of St. Paul was arrested for what law enforcement call “quick change” at the two gas stations. Quick changes is when a person, in this case Duncan, uses a technique where they ask cashiers for change repeatedly confusing the cashier and therefore getting more cash than originally given.

While a Wright County deputy was investigating the theft of $50 to $80 stolen from the Montrose Casey’s, a cashier at the Cokato Cenex also reported a similar crime where the suspect obtained $60 of the store’s money. A liscence plate number and description of the vehicle was obtained and the suspect was stopped by a Meeker County deputy in Dassel.

Though this isn’t a real common crime, it does tend to happen occassionally, mostly on freeways and highways, according to Mike Even at the Wright County Sherriff’s office.