Suspended Driver With 12 Failures to Appear in Court Caught Driving Allegedly Stolen Van

A St. Paul man faces charges in Dakota County after police arrested him during a traffic stop related to his suspended driver's license, then found the vehicle he had been driving allegedly was stolen.

Hue Thao Vang, 25, is charged with felony theft, felony receiving stolen property and misdemeanor driving after suspension. The maximum combined penalty is 10 years, three months in prison and a $21,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, an officer stopped a vehicle with a headlight out around 2:45 a.m. Aug. 18.

The driver didn't have identification, but identified himself as Vang, the complaint says. Vang's record showed his driver's license had been suspended and he had 12 missed court appearances since 2007. The officer arrested Vang and took him to the Dakota County Jail.

Around 8:25 a.m. that morning, Burnsville police taking a report of a stolen vehicle found the license plate of that vehicle matched the plate of the vehicle Vang had been driving, according to the complaint.

The alleged victims said they didn't know Vang and had not given anyone permission to use the vehicle.

When officers saw the keys that had been used with the vehicle when it was towed after Vang's arrest, the keys appeared to be altered to be used with a vehicle they didn't belong to, according to the complaint.

As of Tuesday, Vang was being held in Dakota County Jail on $30,000 bond. A court hearing is scheduled for Sept. 18.