Man Sentenced In Lake Elmo Home Invasion

Nov 16, 2009

http://wcco.com/crime/lake.elmo.sentenced.2.1315776.html

Update to this story.

A man has been sentenced to 36 months in prison in connection to a daytime home invasion robbery in Lake Elmo where a man was pistol whipped and doused with gasoline.

Update: Man Pleads Guilty in Violent Burnsville Home Invasion

Update to this.

06/22/2009

http://kstp.com/article/stories/s990633.shtml?cat=1

According to police, Whitfield and two other suspects broke into a man's home and stole his car, cologne, and a set of commemorative coins.

When the 52-year-old homeowner woke up, officers said the men stabbed him in the head and back, before setting his house on fire.

Man charged in Robbinsdale New Year's killing

October 1, 2008 - 2:51 PM

http://www.startribune.com/local/west/30029259.html?page=1&c=y

Update to this story.

A 27-year-old Minneapolis man has been arrested in a shocking New Year's Day home invasion and murder in Robbinsdale that stymied investigators for months, and a second man is in custody on another, possibly connected, shooting that night.

Hang 'em high.

The man attempted to remove her clothing as he continued to threaten her. Hearing his wife under attack, Marks jumped up and attempted to disarm the other suspect, the two other witnesses, said. One suspect then fired multiple times, shooting Marks in the chest. The two men, armed with long guns, then fled, the witnesses said.

Requiescat in pace, Mr. Marks.

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.

Followup to Truman Intruder

June 11, 2008

http://www.keyc.tv/article/view/143356/

Here are some more details about what happened:

Authorities say Marcella Sauck woke up a short time before midnight to find an intruder, identified as 30 year-old Douglas Bennett lying on her living room floor. When she went to call for help... the intruder allegedly attacked her..[snip] He continued to advance. Mr. Sauck fired one round form the handgun, the intruder continued to advance, he fired one more round striking the intruder in the leg.

Here's everyone's health status. Not cool that she's in critical condition and the intruder is just in fair condition.

Marcella Sauck is listed in critical condition at St. Mary's Hospital ... she suffered broken bones in an arm and leg, as well as eye and internal injuries. Elmer Sauck suffered non-life threatening injuries. As for the Intruder Douglas Bennett... he was airlifted to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester... he's listed in Fair Condition... and is under guard.

And then the always fun to hear part where the law enforcement voices its opinions on the relative safety of the area.

Authorities don't believe Bennett had any connection to the Saucks... and do believe it was a random act... something they say they don't see often. It just doesn't happen down here, it's a very safe and quiet part of the country.

Can you say "Denial!" What authorities meant to say is, "It didn't used to happen down here. It used to be a very safe and quiet part of the country."

Confession: Congdon Park family robbed for college money

June 09, 2008

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=68179§ion=News
Update: Confession

A Two Harbors man confessed Monday that he took part in the Congdon Park home invasion in which a mother and her 9-year-old son were terrorized by being bound at gunpoint as he and an accomplice searched the home for money.

Burnsville Man's Home Invasion/Stabbing/Fire Story

June 5, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/19562209.html

This story contains a lot of details about what happened to Mr. Traub on May 11th. There's a lot of sobering stuff in it.

Summary:

Two men broke into Traub's Burnsville home on May 11, stabbing him -- 17 times in the back, twice in the head and once in the cheek-- and setting seven fires in his home before fleeing in his car. He was hospitalized for a day and a half and is living in an apartment for several months until his home, which was heavily damaged by smoke, is habitable again.

Then read about what happened before the fires:

"So he tells me; 'You gotta pick A or B. And you pick the right answer, you live, and you pick the wrong answer, you die,'" Traub remembered. "I was laying there, I thought I was conscious through all of it, but looking back on it, I probably wasn't."

And after he came to, he ended up running through a fire to flee his house and go to a neighbor to get help.

The upside, if you could call it that is that a lot of people are being more careful now; their complacency has been reset...for a while:

Traub said that his neighbors are more conscious now of locking garages and locking doors.

"They've got a more heightened awareness of people walking in the neighborhood," he said. "In a sense, it's a good thing ... [but] it's a shame that we have to resort to things like that."

Hibbing Police Make Home Invasion Arrest

Jun 5, 2008
Update to this story.
http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/range11/19578129.html

The Hibbing police department has made an arrest in connection with a home invasion and sexual assault there on Tuesday.

Michelle, Police arrested a 20-year old Hibbing man early this morning... after an extensive investigation.

Good. I hope this helps the victim sleep at night.

Man charged in sexual assault of 20-year-old near U

May 28, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/19322639.html

Update to this story.

A 24-year-old Wayzata man has been charged on suspicion of holding a knife to a 20-year-old woman's throat and sexually assaulting her -- the second of two suspected stranger rapes in the area -- after he broke into her apartment near the University of Minnesota.

Hang him up high.

Authorities are crediting blood found in the home with helping them tie the assault to Karls. A DNA profile developed from the blood led to a match to Karls' profile in the state's convicted offender data base. The woman had hit Karl several times with a curling iron, the criminal complaint said.

It's a shame he was ever let out of prison.

Home invader convicted

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

http://www.winonadailynews.com/articles/2008/04/08/news/07invader.txt

Update to this story.

A Stewartville, Minn., man admitted his involvement in a home invasion last May and was convicted of burglary and assault in Winona County District Court on Monday.

One down, two to go.

Warrants have been issued for Lindsey’s accomplices: Lennie Dwayne Brooks, 22, and Dennis Lee Richardson Jr., 23.

Lindsey will be sentenced April 29.

Let's hope he turns his friends in, in exchange for a shorter sentence.
Let's also hope he goes away for a long time.

St. Louis Park Police Blotter Update

3/25/2008

Update to this story.

A male known to the female victim entered the female victim's residence by breaking a window and entering without her permission. Once inside, the defendant broke numerous items of furniture and electronics. The defendant also assaulted the female victim while he was in the home. The suspect was arrested and charged with First Degree Burglary.

Is a home invasion more or less horrible when you know the thug?

Rage over thefts led to slaying of woman in home, charges say

March 6, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/16321786.html

Update to this story.

A 28-year-old man angry over a friend's stolen electronics fired shots into a south Minneapolis home, killing a woman, according to second-degree murder charges filed Wednesday.

I just can't understand murdering people over trivial garbage.

Authorities say trouble began for Hollis when a computer and cell phone belonging to [Nidjia D.] Nicks' friend were stolen by Hollis' daughter from the Extended Stay Hotel in Brooklyn Center, where Nicks was staying with two other people. The items later ended up in Hollis' home.

This does, however, fall under a violation of rule #473. "Don't go to stupid places. Don't associate with stupid people. Don't do stupid things.” (John Farnham) There is never a good reason to be in a hotel room with a drugged up stranger, and if your friends are into drugs and inappropriate usage of weapons, you need better friends.

This does kind of fall under the "criminal on criminal" exception to our posts, except for the innocent woman murdered.

What kind of a worthless thug shoots through the window of a house at a woman who is trying to get small children to safety?

Judge: Rochester man who stole lingerie not dangerous: Update

2/23/2008
Update to this story.

http://postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=329928&z=2

A young Rochester man who broke into residences and took women's lingerie is not a sexually dangerous person who should be committed indefinitely, a district judge has ruled.

It's good to know that the creepy burglar stealing women's and children's underwear while they are home isn't a threat.

Sexual predators escalate their crimes over time. This guy is, or will be, a threat.

Lowry Hill Home Invasion Analysis

February 22, 2008

Nick Coleman did a follow-up story on November's Lowry Hill home invasion in which he quotes the victim, Mike, extensively. There are a number of interesting lessons to be learned:

Someone called 911 on Nov. 3 to report three men walking on the street in the Lowry Hill neighborhood of Minneapolis. They were "casing" houses, the caller told police at 9:10 p.m. Twenty minutes later, a police squad was sent to investigate.

It was too late.

By that time, the three men were burglarizing a nearby home, climbing on patio furniture to get in through a small window that had been opened to air out the kitchen after dinner. Grabbing butcher knives off a counter, the masked robbers burst into a nearby room, surprising the homeowner, who was playing the piano.

Some of you may have heard the saying, "when seconds count, the police are minutes away." Notice that police were called 20 minutes before they were able to arrive, Apparently the crime was over at that point. To be fair, they weren't called to an imminent or in-progress emergency, but rather just suspicious activity. It's still valid for all of us to ponder how long it might take police to arrive when things start going badly.

A natural way to deal with this uncertainty is to develop layered security, beyond what is provided by attentive neighbors or neighborhood watch programs. This might involve:

• whenever possible, lock all doors and windows


• remain more alert despite being in your sanctuary


• establish aids in maintaining alertness so you can let your guard down a little, for instance
  
  • installing an alarm system* and using it
  
  
  • pets that bark at stuff outside
  
  
  • etc
  
  
• dare I say, possibly arming yourself with tools that you can deploy in an instant if you are caught off guard

Let's show where these things may have helped Mike (the home owner) weather the situation better. I say "may have" because, of course, there are no guarantees in life. But I prefer that each of us goes out of his way to maintain a fighting chance, rather than to prematurely concede defeat in blissful denial. And while it's easy to pick apart a scenario after the fact, I'm not trying to put the blame on Mike, but rather just identify "opportunities for improvement."

First, the invaders gained access to the house through the kitchen window, which was left open to air it out. In an older house, I suppose they didn't have a hood or other means to air out the kitchen. It's be unreasonable to say Mike should have dealt with the stink and kept the window shut. But perhaps the window could have been blocked to only open part way since it was accessible to the ground level.

The home owner was clearly not alert to threats from the outside. I can't say I blame him; he was playing his piano, enjoying himself, in his home no less. Unfortunately, when you want to do this, you must rely on other things to provide alertness.

I understand why many people won't consider a dog for this purpose. They're certainly a lot of upkeep. You can't just install one and pay a monthly fee to use it. Not to mention that some dogs just aren't that reliable. They might be inattentive, ambivalent, or for that matter not interested in doing anything other than hiding when the SHTF as is evidenced by this case. I'm not discounting dogs, I'm just pointing out that they are not über-reliable, emotionless automatons.

But the home owners did have a security system...that they rarely used. My guess is that most people who have a security system don't arm it when they're home unless it's bed time. I can certainly understand why you wouldn't want to deal with the inconvenience. But had Mike's system been armed, it might have bought him a few moments to do something other than be caught flat footed.


What if you have taken all these precautions to notify you that something is wrong, yet bad guys are still entering the house or the room you're in? What then? Besides calling 911 and praying, conventional, public-official wisdom suggests compliance. That will possibly get you through your confrontation. Yet, Mike admits that, even after giving up his hunting guns among other things as collateral, he was still convinced that his death was imminent:

"I thought they were going to shoot me," he says. "I was telling them I had kids, and they didn't need to shoot me, but they were tying me up. I thought I was going to die."

Fortunately, they just wanted his stuff. Wow, that was easy to say...in retrospect.

Now Nick Coleman wrote another article earlier in the week titled Lowry Hill's rash of crime almost had it up in arms (startribune.com membership required to view). In it, he suggests that self-defense and guns are useless. I'll agree that they are no panacea. That doesn't mean they're any less potentially useful and should be excluded from your toolkit. Why, after your other layered defenses have been breached would you just give up, especially if you are in fear of your life?

Of course, maintaining handgun/knife/etc for self defense on your person or in very close proximity while your home (or not) can be inconvenient. Of course, if you don't have any training, don't know how to use them, and/or don't understand the legalities of when to use them, they may be more of a liability to you than a benefit. Of course, if you are not alert, you may simply have no opportunity to use them.

When Mike stated,

"I could have had an Uzi, and it wouldn't have done any good," he says. "I was pounced on."

he ignored the possibility that, had his other defensive layers been better, he might not have been pounced on. Perhaps he would have noticed the invasion as bad guys were assembling and arming up in the kitchen, or even earlier as the window was being breached. This added time very well could have allowed him time to do other things such as retreat or even deploy an Uzi to stop the attackers, his prerogative of course.


Contentious issues aside, I'm glad Coleman wrote this recounting of the Lowry Hill home invasion. Maybe it'll spark a number of readers to reconsider how good their defenses are. Remember:

• Layer your defenses; make your attackers work to get to you and buy yourself more time to react


• Thuggery will never go away. But if you make your house harder to attack than the neighbors, the thugs will move on to your neighbors. If your entire neighborhood makes itself harder to attack than those surrounding yours, crime will largely move to surrounding neighborhoods. If your city ...

___________
* Remember, when you're at home, a security system is first and foremost a tool to alert you that things are not right and to do something about it. Even though it may summon help, it is not a protective shield.

Additional arrest made in death of elderly female, Update

2/15/2008

From the Minneapolis Crime Alert system, in regards to this story.

It appears to be a pack of vicious teenagers.

Additional arrest made in death of elderly female

Feb. 15, 2008, (MINNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis police have arrested two additional juveniles in connection with the death of Pirkko Helvi Gaultney on the city’s north side. Officers from the Violent Criminal apprehension Team (VCAT) arrested the juveniles, 15 and 16 years of age, earlier today. Both are being held in the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.

On Feb. 13 officers from the Fourth Precinct responded to 3657 Fremont Ave N. to check the welfare of the elderly female resident. Officers found signs of apparent forced entry into the home and discovered the body of the female resident inside.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Department tip line at 612-692-TIPS (8477).

There is no Booking photo available at this time.

PIO contact for this incident is Sgt Garcia.

# # #

Sgt Jesse Garcia III
Minneapolis Police Department
Public Information Officer
jesse.garcia@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
(office) 612-673-2995
(nextel) 612-919-9023
(fax) 612-673-2613

Per the Star Tribune, the poor woman was stabbed and allowed to bleed to death. The first thug's father turned him in because he had Mrs. Gaultney's credit card on the day she died.

15-year-old Suspect arrested in death of elderly female

2/14/2008

From the Minneapolis Crime Alert system, in regards to this story.

15-year-old Suspect arrested in death of elderly female

Feb 14, 2007, 2007 (MINNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis police have arrested a 15-year-old male in connection with the death of the elderly female on the cities North Side.

Late yesterday evening officers from the Fourth Precinct responded to (address redacted) to check the welfare of the elderly female resident. Officers found signs of apparent forced entry into the home and discovered the body of the female resident inside.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Department tip line at 612-692-tips (8477).

There is no Booking photo available at this time.

# # #

Sgt Jesse Garcia III
Minneapolis Police Department
Public Information Officer
jesse.garcia@ci.minneapolis.mn.us
(office) 612-673-2995
(nextel) 612-919-9023
(fax) 612-673-2613

You are subscribed to Precinct 3 Crime Alerts from the Minneapolis Police Department. You may update or cancel your subscription at any time. All you need is your e-mail address and password (if you have selected one). This service is provided free of charge by the City of Minneapolis.

P.S. If you have any questions or problems please contact support@govdelivery.com for assistance.

Burglary plus Murder in Minneapolis, Update

February 14, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/15621522.html

Update to this story.

Maria Alarcon and her son, Anthony Lopez, who live two doors away on Fremont, said the woman, whom they'd often seen working on her yard and house, had recently knocked on their door needing help after a break-in.

"She was crying," Alarcon said. "She said, 'They want to rob me. Help me, help me. I need to call police.'" Burglars had taken her phone, Alarcon said.

This was her second home invasion.

Please, learn from the misfortunes of others. Do what you can to keep yourselves safe.

Police Seek Suspect in Robbery/Kidnapping

Update to this story.


2/9/2008

Police Seek Suspect in Robbery/Kidnapping (MINNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis Police are seeking the public’s help in locating PERCY LAVONE MELTON (4-17-1970), in connection with a sexual assault, robbery and kidnapping that occurred in the Uptown area on 2-1-2008. MELTON is a black male 37 years old, 5’07” tall and 200 lbs. He is considered to be armed and dangerous and has a history of sexual assaults. Anyone with information regarding MELTON’s whereabouts are asked to contact 911. Do not attempt to confront MELTON on your own.

Sgt. William J. Palmer
Minneapolis Police Department
Public Information Officer
350 South 5th Street Room 130
Minneapolis, Mn 55415
direct 612-673-2896 cell 612-919-9362
william.palmer@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

policepio@ci.minneapolis.mn.us

via Minneapolis Crime Watch

Teen will be tried as adult for Dover home invasion

2/7/2008

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=327179

A teenager charged in connection with a violent home invasion at a Dover mobile home will stand trial in adult court.

Judge Robert Birnbaum made that finding Wednesday following an adult certification hearing in the case of Thomas Vilai, 17, of Rochester. He is one of five people accused of barging into the house the night of Jan. 6. All of them were charged with robbery, burglary and assault with dangerous weapons.

Two other teens were also charged in juvenile court and have pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree aggravated robbery. Two 18-year-olds were charged in adult court and their cases remain open.

Good. I wish they could try them all as adults. Eighteen is an arbitrary age, anyway. These kids knew they were doing wrong.

2/1/2008

Courtesy of the Minneapolis Police Department Weekly Highlights, we have an update to this story.

2 Arrested: AGGRAVATED ROBBERY/KIDNAPPING: 4000 blk Xerxes Av N: Update on last week’s case in which victim had arrived home, approached by 2 men, 1 with handgun, victim forced into trunk of stolen car; suspects took victim’s’ truck and stolen car with victim in trunk to Robbinsdale, where they left victim in trunk; suspects then drove to south Mpls; victim discovered by resident who heard screams; officers located victim’s truck using OnStar GPS tracking service; officers located suspect, Trevonnie Mack (10/29/88) outside 3100 blk Clinton Av inside the victim’s truck; Mack arrested after foot chase, BB gun also recovered, 2nd suspect’s fingerprints found on victim’s vehicle, Travaris Dixon, (05/03/90), Dixon picked up by VCAT, confessed to participating in robbery/kidnapping; On 01/25/08, both suspects charged by HCAO with bail set at $250,000

Both of the thugs responsible for the robbery/kidnapping are in jail and charged.