Rochester Man Facing Charges in Three Cases Involving Thefts of E-Bikes and E-Scooters

Rochester, MN (RochesterNow)- A Rochester man is facing multiple charges across multiple cases for a series of e-bike and e-scooter thefts. 

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Court documents detail three theft incidents. The first happened in late June and the most recent of the alleged thefts happened earlier this month. 

Rochester Man Facing Charged in Three Cases for E-Bike and E-Scooter Thefts

Rochester police used surveillance camera footage to identify the suspect as 39-year-old Brandon Gene Gergen of Rochester. 

He is facing two counts of third-degree burglary, two counts of gross misdemeanor theft and one count each of felony receiving stolen property, felony possession of burglary tools and misdemeanor fourth-degree property damage. 

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Gergen was alleged to have had an accomplice in all three incidents. Police have not identified one of the two accomplices when the complaints were filed in Olmsted County Court this week.  

June 21 E-Bike Theft from St. Mary's Hospital

The first alleged theft happened on the morning of June 21. Gergen is accused of stealing an e-bike that was locked up west of the Francis Building at Mayo Clinic’s St. Mary’s campus. 

He is seen on camera using bolt cutters to free the locked bike, the criminal complaint in that case says. 

An accomplice was also seen stealing an e-scooter from the area, according to the court document. 

E-Scooter Death from Mayo Clinic Parking Ramp

On August 13, Gergen was seen taking an e-scooter from a secure Mayo Clinic parking ramp in the 400 block of 1st St. NW. The complaint in that case says a Mayo Clinic badge is needed to gain access to the parking structure. 

Gergen is alleged to have bypassed the security measure by maneuvering a stick through a chain-linked fence and using it to trigger the motion-activated door to open from inside of the ramp, the complaint says. 

The court document says another individual was seen on camera with him at the time of the theft. 

Bike Theft from Rochester Apartment Complex

The third alleged theft happened on August 19 at a southwest Rochester apartment complex. Gergen and a woman are each seen on surveillance footage following a vehicle into the otherwise locked parking garage, the court document says.

Gergen and the woman were recorded leaving the garage. Each were riding a bike. Rochester police responded to the apartment complex and located the woman who was seen with Gergen, according to the complaint. 

When confronted with being seen on video stealing the bike, the woman offered to show officers where Gergen brought stolen bikes, the complaint says. 

Burned Bike Found at Homeless Encampment

She took them to a homeless encampment in a wooded area near the Mayowood Gardens. 

Officers saw what appeared to have been the e-bike that was taken from the apartment complex. The complaint says the bike had been set on fire. Gergen was reported to have been living in a tent in the area. 

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Court records indicate Gergen has a criminal history that dates back to 2007. 

It includes felony convictions for third-degree criminal sexual conduct, domestic assault, third-degree assault, drug possession, failing to register as a predatory offender and ineligible firearm possession. 

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He made his first court appearances to each case this week and is being held on $100,000 bail.