Man arrested at St. Cloud mall after police pursuit of stolen vehicle

A Brainerd man was arrested Monday afternoon at a St. Cloud mall after a police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle.

St. Cloud Police said officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle in the 1400 block of Northway Drive at about 3:15 p.m. The caller said a man had stolen a lawn care company’s truck and trailer, and while officers were responding they saw the vehicle and trailer near 33rd Avenue North and 12th Street and attempted to stop it. However, the suspect refused to stop and a pursuit ensued.

Police said the pursuit went into Waite Park and back into St. Cloud before officers discontinued it due to the suspect’s erratic driving. A short time later, Waite Park officers saw the vehicle in a parking lot on the west side of Crossroads Center Mall and noticed the suspect was running into the mall.

Officers set up a perimeter and contacted mall security, which led them to take certain security measures, police said. A short time later, employees inside Macy’s noticed a man that matched the suspect’s description and reported him. Officers then arrested the man just after 4 p.m.

Police identified the man as 36-year-old Christopher Lee Duffert. Police said Duffert had several felony warrants from other jurisdictions, including for burglary, theft, drugs and fleeing police. He was booked at Stearns County Jail on the warrants and new charges for theft and fleeing police.

Nobody was injured during the incident, police said.

The stolen vehicle was recovered from the mall parking lot.