Prosecutors say a mid-April burglary at an Eagan home turned into a precious-metals caper straight out of a crime drama, with roughly $374,000 in silver bars stolen and two suspects now nowhere to be found.
According to charging documents, burglars walked off with about 4,300 ounces of silver: four boxes holding 23 100-ounce bars and two 1,000-ounce bars. Investigators say the thieves drilled two fresh holes beneath a sliding back door, leaving behind sawdust and a very expensive mess. Some of the silver later surfaced with buyers around the Twin Cities, putting a spotlight on how dealers and detectives quietly track bullion through serial numbers and meticulous receipts.
Braidy Glen Allen, 37, of Champlin, and Christopher Lee Brandt, 42, of Marshall, are charged in Hennepin County with first-degree burglary of a dwelling and theft of property over $5,000 in connection with the April 18 break-in. Police say serial numbers led them to at least one bar that turned up at Rum River Coin in Anoka and that Allen sold about 81.3 ounces at a business called Enviro-Chem. A search warrant at a Champlin address allegedly turned up a portable melting pot, metal chunks and other scrap.
Both men were booked into Dakota County Jail after their arrests and later released. Authorities have requested a nationwide arrest warrant after the pair dropped off the radar and their whereabouts remain unknown, as reported by FOX 9.
What the charges could mean
Under Minnesota law, burglary of an occupied dwelling is a first-degree offense that can carry up to 20 years in prison and significant fines. Sentencing rules also allow for mandatory time behind bars in some occupied-dwelling cases. Per Minnesota Statutes, the exact degree and punishment range depend on whether the building was a dwelling and other aggravating factors, while theft penalties scale with the value involved under Minn. Stat. § 609.52.
The law also takes a hard look at the people who might help move the loot. Precious-metal dealers who knowingly receive or conceal stolen metal can face their own criminal charges; Minn. Stat. § 609.526 outlines penalties that can apply to dealers and employees who get caught on the wrong side of a bullion transaction.
Investigation so far
Charging documents describe a twist involving a cooperating witness who, investigators say, first lied to police and later changed his story. The witness told detectives he helped move some of the silver to his sister’s home in Ham Lake after Brandt and Allen allegedly asked him to hold it. According to that account, the pair planned to bury the metal and then leave the state by train.
During an April 23 search, officers say they found bags containing a powdered substance believed to be meth, a handwritten ledger and casino vouchers in vehicles tied to the suspects. Investigators also noted that both men had blue-stained hands, which they say could indicate recent metal melting. Police report that bar serial numbers and dealer records provided the trail leading to sales in Anoka and at Enviro-Chem, and a nationwide warrant is being sought as detectives work to track the men down, as reported by FOX 9.
Investigators are asking anyone with information about the theft or the whereabouts of Allen or Brandt to contact local law enforcement. The case remains active and charges are pending; if the men are convicted, potential penalties include prison time, fines and restitution tied to the value of the stolen bullion.
