Bike Theft Leads to New Charges Against Chronic Rochester Thief

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester man with a history of felony theft convictions is facing new felony charges. 

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That’s according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court on Friday. The case began with the report of a stolen bicycle earlier this month. 

Rochester Police responded to the stolen bicycle report on Feb. 9 at an apartment complex in southwest Rochester. A review of the building’s security footage led investigators to identify the suspect as 22-year-old Parker Evan Atherton, the charges say. 

The footage shows him randomly punching in the building’s tenants numbers until he’s buzzed into the building. He’s then seen walking into the mail area and taking a package before entering the parking garage, according to the complaint. 

Atherton then cut open the box with a knife, placed the parcel’s contents into his backpack and discarded the box. The footage then shows him trying to open vehicle doors in the garage before turning his attention to a bike that he freed by cutting it from a lock, the court document says. 

Atherton then walked out of the building with the bike. The charges say he was inside for roughly 22 minutes. 

On Feb. 22 law enforcement spotted Atherton at a Rochester gas station and arrested him on suspicion of committing the bike theft. He had three Social Security Cards and a Resident Alien Card that had been previously reported stolen on him at the time of his arrest, according to the complaint. 

Atherton was arraigned on charges of second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and identity theft. His bail was set at $40,000 without conditions. 

In September Atherton was sentenced to a brief jail stint and three years probation after being convicted in connection to a porch piracy case and a retail theft case while on probation. 

He was accused of taking a package containing $330 worth of items from a Rochester home in September of 2022, and a luxury bracelet worth an estimated $2,800 from Rochester’s Macy’s store last March. 

Those convictions bring Atherton’s total theft convictions to nine, according to court records. He’s due back in court on the latest charges next month.

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