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Suspect arrested, charged in alleged Gnome, Lexington burglaries in St. Paul

By
FOX 9
St. Paul
Published August 18, 2026 5:06 PM CDT
Published August 18, 2026 5:06 PM CDT
article

A St. Paul business owner is speaking out after another break-in at The Gnome on Selby, saying the situation has become dangerous and silence is no longer an option.

The Brief

    • Jason Lionel Wayne Gatrell, of St. Paul, has been arrested and charged with allegedly breaking into the Gnome Craft Pub and Lexington restaurants in St. Paul.
    • Police say that on Aug. 16, he broke into the Gnome around 4 a.m., resulting in approximately $1,300 in cash stolen and thousands of dollars worth of damage.
    • He then attempted to break into the Lexington the following morning, which resulted in a confrontation with responding officers.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A suspect has been arrested and charged for his alleged role in two recent commercial burglaries, including at The Gnome Craft Pub and Lexington in St. Paul.

St. Paul business burglaries

What we know:

Jason Lionel Wayne Gatrell, 29, of St. Paul, is charged with burglarizing The Gnome Craft Pub on Aug. 16, and attempting to burglarize The Lexington at 1096 Grand Avenue on Aug. 17, according to the St. Paul Police Department.

Dig deeper:

Police say that on Aug. 16, officers responded to The Gnome Craft Pub following a report of a burglary, with the owner stating the business had been broken into around 4 a.m., resulting in approximately $1,300 in cash stolen and thousands of dollars worth of damage.

The following morning, on Aug. 17, St. Paul police officers responded to an alarm call at The Lexington, where police say that officers arrived on scene to find Gatrell attempting to break into the business.

As officers attempted to take him into custody, they report that Gatrell sprayed one in the face with pepper spray and attempted to disarm the officer of their taser.

What's next:

Gatrell now faces six charges, including second-degree burglary and fourth-degree assault of a peace officer.

The Gnome owner calls attention to crime 

Big picture view:

Following the incident, Gnome Craft Pub owner Brian Ingram urged the community and leaders to pay attention to the ongoing break-ins, saying in part, "I’m done being quiet. Politicians tell us crime is down. Maybe reported crime is down. Maybe business owners are just exhausted… I’m mad as hell. My team could have been hurt. Someone could have been killed. This is not normal. This is not acceptable. And silence is not making St. Paul safer."

The Source: Information provided by the St. Paul Police Department and previous FOX 9 reporting.

St. PaulCrime and Public Safety