MOORHEAD - A 62-year-old homeless man accused of stealing more than $31,000 worth of devices from a Bemidji cellphone store at gunpoint was arrested here after authorities traced two of the stolen phones in Fargo-Moorhead.
Ricky Lee Lidel, of Bemidji, was arrested on or around May 15 at a local homeless shelter where staff confirmed with officers he was a resident, according to court documents. Days before Lidel's arrest, investigators obtained a court order to trace two phones Lidel is accused of stealing from the AT&T store in Bemidji on May 12.
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Authorities believe Lidel entered the store wearing a mask, sunglasses and carrying a 9mm handgun. In the less than 6 minutes, he ordered the store manager into the back room at gunpoint to fill a duffle bag with iPhones and tablets. Lidel then took $446 from the register along with the manager's wallet, according to documents.
The Bemidji Police Department reviewed surveillance video and believed Lidel was the armed suspect. Detectives learned he was possibly homeless in Fargo-Moorhead and officers with the Moorhead Police Department summoned Lidel to the shelter's lobby, where he was arrested without incident. Numerous phones still in packaging and a mask were found in Lidel's room.
He is charged with first-degree aggravated robbery, a felony that carries a $35,000 fine and 25 years in prison. He remains in custody at the Beltrami County Jail and bail is set at $200,000.
Lidel's next court hearing is May 29.
Minnesota court records show Lidel has been convicted of four other theft charges since 2014. He also has four domestic abuse and assault convictions on his record and was convicted of fleeing a peace officer while in possession of a pistol in 2011.
In North Dakota, Lidel was also charged four times between 2013 and 2017 with drug and paraphernalia possession.
