Two St. Paul men arrested in State Fair beer exhibit robbery

Two suspects from St. Paul have been arrested and a gun has been recovered in connection with an armed robbery of the State Fair craft beer exhibit last month, according to State Fair police.

The robbery, at the Minnesota Craft Brewers Exhibit in the fair's Agriculture Horticulture Building, was reported to State Fair police at 11:15 p.m. Aug. 29 after the perpetrators struck after the exhibit closed at 9 p.m., police spokeswoman Brooke Blakey said at the time.

Two people who worked at the exhibit were bound by the robbers, who fled with at least $10,000.

One man was arrested Wednesday and remains in custody. Another man, who was arrested last Friday, has been released pending charges. The Minnesota Safe Streets Task Force is leading the investigation.

Blakey said earlier this month that there have been robberies over the years at the fair, but this was the first that involved a weapon.

Along with the robbery, a preliminary count of crimes reported at the fair this year included two assaults, eight patrons requiring substance detoxification, four calls for disorderly conduct and seven thefts.

NICOLE NORFLEET