St. Paul man arrested in theft of cigarettes at West St. Paul tobacco shop

West St. Paul police have arrested a suspect in connection with at least one of the two "smash-and-grab" thefts that have occurred in the past six weeks at a Robert Street tobacco store.
William Erwin Williams, 30, was arrested Tuesday at his St. Paul home on suspicion of burglary. He was being held at the Dakota County Jail in Hastings pending possible charges.
"We received a number of tips based on some video footage that was out in the press. Ninety percent said it was this one individual," West St. Paul police Lt. Brian Sturgeon said of Williams. "He has a lengthy criminal history."
Police have investigated three break-ins at Joseph's Tobacco Sales since mid-November.
On Nov. 16, a man rammed a vehicle through the shop's front window, then fled with 60 cartons of Marlboro cigarettes, according to the storeowner.
On Nov. 28, multiple would-be burglars broke into an adjoining vacant storefront and tried to enter the tobacco shop by punching a hole through the wall in a back restroom. They ran off empty-handed.
And on Dec. 23, a pickup truck again rammed the storefront, and a man can be seen on security video grabbing 70 cartons of Marlboro cigarettes.
Williams has been charged in at least 26 criminal cases since 1997, according to court records. Charges include traffic infractions, burglary, criminal damage to property, motor vehicle theft, trespassing and possession of a police scanner.
St. Paul police are investigating whether a smash-and-grab burglary at a St. Paul gas station early Wednesday is connected to the cases in West St. Paul and elsewhere, said Sgt. Paul Schnell, St. Paul police spokesman.
Police officers, called shortly after 3 a.m. to the Holiday station at 1400 Arcade St., found "fairly substantial damage to the front of the store," Schnell said.
It appeared a vehicle "had been used to smash through the front entry of the store," he said. An ATM near the front door had been knocked over, its cash stolen, he said. The gas station was closed at the time.
A General Motors pickup truck apparently was used, based on evidence at the scene, Schnell said.
Police were reviewing surveillance video from the store. A description of the burglar or burglars wasn't available.