'Runaway Groom' Faces Felony Charge for Snatching Engagement Ring

A New Hope man may be in for a long engagement with the St. Cloud prison: Quin Lane Howell, 23, has been accused of fleeing an Apple Valley jewelry store with a "borrowed" diamond ring.

Apple Valley police were called to a local jeweler on Monday, around 5:14 p.m. on report of a theft of diamond ring. The owner said an adult male customer, later identified as Howell, had come in that afternoon looking for a diamond engagement ring, priced from $5,000 to $5,500. The owner showed the customer several settings and loose diamonds.

At one point, the customer left the store, purportedly to call his girlfriend. When he re-entered, he asked to see a 1-carat princess cut diamond ring. The owner placed the ring on a display board and presented it to the customer, who promptly grabbed it and ran from the store.

Police apprehended Howell nearby. The stolen ring was found in his possession. The estimated value of the ring is $7,000. 

Howell has been charged with one count of felony theft, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Howell made his first appearance in court on Wednesday. He has since been released from custody.