Monday, September 29, 2008

Man arrested in probe of burglary at home

September 29, 2008

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080929/NEWS01/109290048

Dillon Edward Hoffert, 22, was in the Stearns County Jail Sunday and may face charges of burglary, criminal damage to property and fleeing police.

Residents at the home were awakened by an intrusion, and one climbed out of an upstairs window to call police from a neighbor's house at 4:37 a.m. There were no injuries.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Attention residents of the Windom neighborhood: Residential Robbery

City of Minneapolis


show details
3:28 PM (1 hour ago)

On Monday September 23 at approximately 11:00p.m, a robbery of a residence occurred in the 5600 block of Blaisdell Av. S. Two suspects entered through an unlocked front door and implied they were armed with guns. The resident and his adult son were assaulted, the phones were damaged, and the items were removed from the home. The suspects left in a red or maroon minivan or SUV-style vehicle.

Suspect #1 is described as a black male with a dark complexion, 18-25yo, 5’11”, thin build, wearing a black zippered jacket with a silver design on the back and dark jean shorts. The suspect used his jacket to cover his face.

Suspect #2 is described a mixed race or light complected black male, 18-25yo, 5’11”, medium to muscular build, wearing a baggy blue t-shirt. Suspect #2 was also using his shirt to cover his face.

Remember please:

  1. Please pass this information on to your neighbors if they do not receive these emails. Tell your neighbors how to sign up for these alerts – they just send a blank email to SAFE5.3-on@ccpsafe.org and must reply to the automatic confirmation email.
  2. Please let your block club members know about these events.
  3. Be aware of your surroundings. Call 911 on any suspicious activity, persons, or vehicles.
  4. Watch for people on the street before exiting your home or vehicle.
  5. When you get into your car, lock your doors and do not just sit in the parked vehicle.
  6. Do not carry excessive cash, credit cards, or other items. Bring only what you need.
  7. Write down the numbers and contact information for all your credit/debit cards so you can call and cancel them immediately if they are taken or lost. Keep this information in a safe location.
  8. Get involved with (or start) your neighborhood Crime & Safety Committee.
    1. Fulton Safety Committee meets the last Tuesday each month; email safety@fultonneighborhood.org for more details.
  9. Know your Neighborhood Associations.
    1. Armatage meets the 3rd Tuesday each month; www.armatage.org for more details.
    2. Fulton meets the 2nd Wednesday each month; www.fultonneighborhood.org for more details.
    3. Kenny meets the 3rd Tuesday each month; www.kennyneighborhood.org for more details.
    4. Lynnhurst meets the 2nd Thursday each month; www.lynnhurst.org for more details.
    5. Tangletown meets the 3rd Monday each month; www.tangletown.org for more details.
    6. Windom meets the 2nd Thursday each month; www.windomcommunity.org for more details.
  10. If you have information on a crime please call the MPD Tips Line at (612) 692-8477.
  11. If you witness a crime, try to look for this information:
    1. People: Estimated height, weight, build, age, race, gender, distinguishing features, and clothing.
    2. Vehicle: License plate number, make, model, year, and color.
    3. People and vehicles: Time they came/left, and what direction they were last seen headed.
    4. Also note if a weapon is involved.

For additional crime prevention resources please visit the City of Minneapolis’s website at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crime-prevention/.

If you have any additional questions or concerns please contact:

Amy Lavender

Crime Prevention Specialist

5th Precinct-Sector 3

3101 Nicollet Av.

Minneapolis, MN 55408

(612) 673-5407

amy.lavender@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

Minneapolis teen who left man in car trunk gets nearly 15 years

September 24, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/29722534.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7EaDiaMDCiUT

Update to this story.

A Minneapolis teenager pleaded guilty Wednesday to robbing and kidnapping a man, then leaving him locked in a car trunk for several hours in freezing temperatures last January.

Good news.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Rash of bold burglaries plagues west Metro

09/24/2008

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S592930.shtml?cat=1

Posted unedited.
An investigation into a rash of bold Hopkins burglaries in August has substantially grown, and is now affecting several nearby cities in the west Metro, according to police.

At least 25 homeowners in Hopkins have reportedly awoke in the middle of the night after hearing noises and are then threatened with a knife.

Detective James Neimackl said there's reason for concern: The crimes have spread and authorities believe they are all related.

"We do believe they are related in all the cities: Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, St. Louis Park, and some in Minneapolis," he said.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Man injured in St. Paul home-invasion robbery

September 23, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/29654569.html?elr=KArks:DCiUHc3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

A 69-year-old man was pistol-whipped during a home-invasion robbery Monday in St. Paul's Frogtown neighborhood, police said.

So it's not random.
After pistol-whipping him, one suspect went upstairs. He forced the woman and one of her two girls into a bathroom while he ransacked the office and found the money.

They are very lucky these men only wanted money.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Security in your Home - Part 1, A Layered Approach

This is part one of a series.

We’re going to discuss using a layered approach to improving the security of your home. Using a layered approach provides two primary benefits. First, it makes your home too much work for the “casual” burglar. Most burglars will take the path of least resistance. Multiple layers of security remove your home from that path. Second, each layer adds to your reaction time, either by warning you of an intrusion, or slowing down your intruder. This gives you time to get your family to safety and call 911. Every second counts.

Before we get into the options for home security, I want to define layers, in the context of security. A security layer is anything that provides notice of intrusion, or anything that slows or prevents said intrusion. In plain English, if it slows down an intruder, or convinces an intruder to go elsewhere, or alerts you to an intruder's presence, we’ll consider it a security layer. These layers can be anything from the streetlight on the corner eliminating shadows in our yards, to the monitored alarm systems with sensors on every possible entrance to our houses, to the family dog. Our goal is to convince the intruder to seek easier prey, or failing that, to slow them down enough that we can get to safety and wait for the police without fearing for our lives. We’ll be approaching the layers in the same manner as an intruder, from the outside in.

The first layer an intruder will encounter is an intangible that will never be noticed. This is the most important element in any security system. I’m talking about planning and awareness. The best security system in the world will accomplish nothing if you don’t get it installed before there is an incident or if you don’t know what to do when it is activated. The loudest alarm won’t help if you’re not paying attention when is shrieks.

Plan ahead. Get the alarm installed before you need it. Trim your bushes back, reinforce your front door, and most importantly, develop a plan of action for you and your family. Have a plan of action for your family in the case of a home invasion/hot burglary, much like you would for a fire. Conduct “Invasion Drills” as often as you would conduct Fire Drills. Everybody in the family should know what to do and where to go in the event of a home invasion.

Be alert. If your dog barks, investigate the bark. That’s why you have a dog. If your security lights turn on, look out the window and find out what caused it. Lock your doors and windows if you know you’re going to be less aware for a time. That means lock the door when you take a nap or a shower, or when you will be listening to loud music. Many people let down their guard at home, assuming nothing bad can happen there, that nothing bad can happen during the day. This is simply not true. If you are aware of what is going on around you, you are much less likely to be victimized. I’m not suggesting constant hyper-vigilance 24 hours per day. People need downtime to relax. I am, however, strongly suggesting you take basic precautions before you unwind.

Next time, we will discuss lighting.

Cross-posted here and here.

Man charged in home invasion

Saturday, September 20, 2008

http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2008/09/20/news/00lead0920.txt

A Winona man was charged with burglary and criminal sexual conduct Friday after he allegedly broke into a random home and molested a sleeping woman earlier this week.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Farmington Family Robbed at Gunpoint

September 14, 2008

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_10469929

The home invasion happened about 3 p.m. near the corner of 195th St., and Everest Path, police said. The owner and his daughter were home at the time, but no one was injured.

The man apparently got into the home through an opened back door, neighbors said.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Four arrested in Chisago County home burglary

September 8, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/27992039.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7EaDiaMDCiUT


According to Hoppe, four men kicked in the front and back doors to gain entry to a house on the 52000 block of Government Road in Rushseba Township. The homeowner was sleeping when the burglars came calling at 2 a.m. Friday. She grabbed a 9 millimeter handgun and fired two rounds, but didn't hit anybody, authorities said.

Thankfully, the homeowner had the means to protect herself.
Hoppe said that homeowners "have the right to protect themselves in their homes," but advises that victims not confront thieves and simply call 911.