Since early June, hundreds of storm sewer grates in St. Paul have been removed.
The situation puzzled city workers. The iron grates weigh about 150 pounds and weren’t scrapped or stolen, only tossed in the drains.
Sewer grates are turning up in St. Paul storm basins, puzzling city officials | MPR News
For weeks, the city warned that the vandalism posed a significant hazard to people on the roads. On Wednesday, a 28-year-old woman reported injuries after she fell into a drain while getting into a car with her toddler. The child was uninjured.
St. Paul may have found its culprit.
In a charging document Friday, prosecutors outlined how a series of 911 calls led police to 34-year-old Kevin Michael Monahan of St. Paul, who is identified without a permanent address.
Callers reported a man dropping sewer grates in downtown St. Paul starting 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Responding officers found more than ten removed grates but did not locate the man. Police obtained two videos showing the same man had been involved in at least two instances of vandalism.
The following day, officers encountered Monahan outside a Higher Ground shelter — wearing clothing matching the man in the video — and took him into custody.
Monahan allegedly told police he removed the grates because they were dirty and needed to be cleaned. He reportedly denied working with anyone else and said he had been interested in the issue for three to five months.
Investigators are still working to determine the exact number of incidents Monahan is responsible for and whether others were involved.
The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office charged Monahan with five counts of first-degree property damage. The criminal complaint alleges the city’s repair costs at over $20,000.
