MN Home Invasion Watch

Burglars hit Edina homes

2008-08-15T08:39:00.002-05:00

Thursday, August 14, 2008

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/08/15/breaking_news/1ed21burglaries.txt

Burglars broke into two homes recently and attempted to break into another one in Edina's Country Club neighborhood. The burglars entered the homes through ground-level windows in early-morning hours.

Edina Police Det. Dave Carlson said the two burglaries and one attempted burglary occurred within close proximity during the night between Aug. 12 and 13.

The burglars stole cash and alcohol valued at $320 and a Mercedes SUV valued at $32,000. The vehicle had not been recovered as of Aug. 14.

The burglars gained access to the houses by cutting screens in main-floor windows.

So, the ground-floor windows were open, using screens for security? If you must leave your windows open at night, get your windows pinned, to keep the window from being opened beyond the point you want it.

Residents were home during the break-ins, but did not wake up. Dogs were also present at the two homes where burglars gained access, but did not bark. One house alarm was set off when the burglars left a residence out the front door.

No one saw the suspects. There are no leads at this time.

Luckily, they just wanted cash and a Mercedes. These thugs had full access to the homes and the people in them.

"We need and appreciate help from the public so we can apprehend the people committing these burglaries," Carlson said. "And please lock your windows and doors; make it harder and more time consuming for someone to break in. Lights around the exterior of the house are a good idea, too. But I can't emphasize strongly enough the importance of calling us if your dog suddenly starts barking at 3 a.m. or you think you see someone in your backyard."

Excellent advice.

Home invasion injures two

2008-08-13T13:55:00.001-05:00

08/13/2008

http://www.winonapost.com/stock/functions/VDG_Pub/detail.php?choice=26204&home_page=1

Two masked men wielding golf clubs as weapons broke into a home on the 850 block of West Fifth Street early Tuesday morning, assaulting at least two occupants inside.

Police said that the incident was absolutely not random, and that the men entered the home demanding to see a specific individual. Chief Deputy Paul Bostrack said that the two males, who entered the home at about 2:49 a.m., swung the golf clubs and struck one occupant in the upper arm and another in the head. Neither occupant required medical treatment, said Bostrack.

"Not random" doesn't mean the victim's were criminals.

MPD HIGHLIGHTS for the week of 29 July – 4 August, 2008

2008-08-13T08:39:00.002-05:00

29 July – 4 August, 2008

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crimealert/2008-07-29-MPD-Highlights.asp

10xx 17^th Av SE:

Officers called to Burgalry in Progress; victim in home interupted burglars who had entered 2nd

story; suspects fled on foot, but apprehended by officers in area; suspects left their car in victm’s driveway; suspect had property stolen in earlier burlary, burglary tools: 2 Arrested/BURGLARY

(suspects, brothers with extensive criminal history for burglary)

CID investigating

1000 blk Mt Curve: Victims woke up, saw suspect in basement; suspect fled; witness description lead officers to recognize suspect as he walked by squad: Arrested/BURGLARY

CID investigating

Man tied up, blindfolded during home invasion

2008-08-11T15:05:00.001-05:00

August 11, 2008

http://www.southwestreviewnews.com/main.asp?SectionID=62&SubSectionID=275&ArticleID=3196&TM=54048.48

A man was bound and blindfolded by intruders the evening of July 30 as the West St. Paul house he was staying in was burglarized.

Two or three men entered the house through an "unlocked entryway," Lt. Brian Sturgeon said in an interview last week. One man carried a semiautomatic handgun.

Lock your doors. This was an armed invasion by a group of people who would have at least offered warning if they would have had to kick the door down.

Buffalo Man Chases Burglars Away With Gun

2008-08-07T16:37:00.002-05:00

Friday, 18 Apr 2008

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=BC4949B3D3CAE22297C15F0CCB8C5924?contentId=6342742&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

BUFFALO, Minn. -- Steve Remer chased burglars from his Buffalo, Minn home with a gun after finding his bedroom door tied shut and unfamiliar noises around the house.

Fortunately:

Then, Remer heard an unfamiliar voice in the hallway. He grabbed his .357 handgun from the closet and chased the intruder down the stairs and out the front door, firing several shots at their stolen SUV on the way out.

I'm glad he could protect himself, but shooting the getaway vehicle, when it is no longer a threat isn't a good idea.

When Remer went back into the house, he found a second suspect locked in a bedroom.

“I said come on out -- put your hands on your head, I’ll show you a little about Hanoi,” Remer said, with a laugh.

It was meant as a joke to them, but Remer says the suspect didn’t take it lightly, instead jumping out a window and running off.

I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV, but here's some advice: Watch what you say. Dark humor, the media, and self-defense rarely work together in your favor. If you have to use a gun in self-defense, you should be talking to your lawyer, NOT a news crew or the police.

The good news:

Police caught up with Michael Rolla, 18, who led them to his accomplice, Jeremy Fuller, 18. Officers also arrested Kyle Posusta, 24, after finding Remer’s stolen guitars and electronics in Posusta’s apartment.

Lock your doors: Perham burglary reports widespread

2008-08-06T15:37:00.005-05:00

August 06, 2008

http://www.perhameb.com/articles/index.cfm?id=9670§ion=news

That's three, count 'em, three hot burglaries in one night, apparently by one thug.

A 67-year-old Perham man who fell asleep on his couch woke up in the middle of the night, startled to discover that someone had been in his house.

and

After responding to the first burglary call, at a home in northwest Perham, Christopherson noticed tracks in the grass behind the house and followed them to the back door of a neighboring home.

Christopherson knocked on the door, and a man answered, saying that someone was in his house about a half hour ago. In the house at the time of the intrusion were the man, his wife, and their daughter.

and

While investigating this second burglary, a call came in about yet another home intrusion—this time in northeast Perham. As with the previous incident, the homeowner reported waking up and hearing someone in his house.

The homeowner said that he took out his 9 mm and drew down on the suspect who was in his home. The man then demanded that the suspect get out of his house, and the suspect ran away.

That's the best way to confront a home invader. Be prepared to defend yourself, if necessary.

Possibly two more, but the article doesn't state that anyone was home.

The other two burglaries reported both involved purses taken from inside the kitchen area of homes. In one case, the suspect entered the home through an unlocked patio door. In the other burglary, entrance was gained through an unlocked back door. Both of the stolen purses were discovered within close proximity to where they were taken—with certain items missing.

Tipline:

Anyone with information about the stolen items, or the suspect(s) behind the burglaries is encouraged to contact the Perham Police at 218-346-4452.

MPD Pct 5: Man arrested after entering residential home

2008-08-04T14:56:00.000-05:00

8/4/2008

Via Minneapolis Crime Alerts:

On the 1000 block of Mount Curve Ave this morning at 3:44 am, a man entered a resident’s home and spent time inside without permission while the victims were asleep. There was no forced entry and no reported loss at this time. The victim confronted the suspect and called 911, at which point the suspect left. The victims were unharmed.

An arrest was made immediately by officers who were patrolling the neighborhood. The man, Terrence Anthony Berglund (date of birth: 4/21/1967), was apprehended and positively ID’d by the victim as the man who had entered their home. Terrence Berglund was arrested for PC burglary of dwelling and booked in Hennepin County Jail.

The victim was able to give a unique description of the suspect, which helped responding officers quickly locate the offender.

What You Can Do:

Lock all windows and doors, even when you are home or asleep
Pin windows that you want to have open; it’s recommended to secure them so they can’t open higher than 6”. See information for pinning windows under Home Security Information at http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crime-prevention/ Note that you can also get brass sash stops at local hardware stores.
Call 911 on suspicious activity
Try to get a good description of suspects and vehicles. Some helpful hints are located here: http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/police/crime-prevention/docs/Descsusp.pdf

Daytime Hot Burglary in Bernadotte Township Ends Peacfully

2008-08-04T12:31:00.004-05:00

August 1st, 2008

http://keyc.tv/article/view/146560

The Nicollet County Sheriff's Department is investigating a home invasion in Bernadotte Township. Authorities say it happened Friday afternoon around 2:40 P.M. at 501st ave in Rural Nicollet. The suspect entered the home asked for money and then left angry when he was told there wasn't any in the home. The suspect is a male, 5 foot ten to 6 feet tall, weighing between 150 to 170 pounds. At the time of the invasion he was wearing a black t - shirt blue jeans and black tennis shoes. He was driving a newer model white Chevrolet 4 door truck with a shiny chrome grill with Minnesota loon habitat plates. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Nicollet County Sheriff's office at the number on the bottom of the screen

Good news for the home owner that the perp wasn't very dedicated.

Two Shots Hit Invaded Apartment Dweller

2008-08-04T12:19:00.004-05:00

August 4th, 2008

http://news.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=2&a=354936

In what's being called a home invasion, a 17-year old boy was shot twice when he chased intruders from his sister's apartment early Sunday morning.

The 17-year-old told police he had been sleeping in his sister's apartment when his sister awoke him because some people -- from one to three -- were ransacking the residence, the spokesman said. They apparently were not taking belongings from the residence, Muyres said.

The boy chased the intruders who had left the apartment. The shooting occurred in the parking lot of the complex. Muyres said police had another report from a witness of two people picking up shell casings.

Take note that the boy was shot twice and witnesses claim to have heard two "pops." i.e. the perps hit him with both shots. A lot of people think bad guys don't know how to shoot. Don't count on it.

It's not clear what really happened or why, but the article does say the shooting occurred in the parking lot. If this is the case, then the 17-year old was chasing them out of the apartment (or someone's story isn't true). Regardless, it's a good reminder that if the bad guys are running away, you should probably let them go. Chasing them, can often create more problems.

We'll keep watching this story. It sounds like either the apartment complex is just in a bad place (possibly unrelated fighting in the parking lot, loiterers fleeing when police arrive) or we're missing a lot of pertinent details

Four adults, one teen charged in connection with home invasion

2008-07-25T07:09:00.002-05:00

7/25/2008

http://www.leroyindependent.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=65&ArticleID=1402&TM=25609.28

Four Spring Valley area adults and one teenager are facing felony charges for being part of a nine-person group that allegedly broke into a LeRoy home in June and assaulted several individuals.

The teenager, who turned age 18 July 12, is charged in Mower County Juvenile Court with two felony counts of first-degree burglary, including one related to an assault, for the June 20 incident. He faces a misdemeanor count of fifth-degree assault. The individual asked for an evidentiary hearing at a court appearance July 16 and was eventually released to his mother.

Hopefully, she's making his life miserable.

The case for the teenager is designated as an extended juvenile jurisdiction: if he's found guilty, he could face an adult prison sentence that would be stayed until he reaches 21.

That's good news. Ducking an adult sentence for an adult crime by being a few weeks too young would be an injustice.

The victims were four people who live at the house and two visitors, who said they were assaulted when a group of nine people kicked in the front door and entered the home.

What do you do when nine people kick down your door?

Reinforce your front door, and keep some reloads handy.

St. Paul man charged for murder of 90-year-old Hopkins woman

2008-07-21T08:56:00.002-05:00

July 18, 2008

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/07/21/breaking_news/2ho24homicide.txt

July 18 - Charges were filed today against Corey Posley-Wells, 27, of St. Paul for the July 7 stabbing murder of Irene Kunze, 90, of Hopkins.

Hopkins Police, with assistance from St. Paul Police, arrested Posley-Wells July 16 in St. Paul without incident. He was charged today with two-counts of first-degree murder.

I originally passed on posting this because the initial reports didn't look like a home invasion. I was wrong.

After he was arrested and read his Miranda rights, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County, Posley-Wells told police the following: He spotted Kunze taking out her garbage on July 7. He followed her to her apartment, followed her in and then knocked her to the floor in an attempt to rob her. He then took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Kunze and cut her throat. Afterwards, stole a small amount of money from Kunze's billfold and looked in various drawers for money or valuables.

Entering and exiting your home are two of the times you are most vulnerable. Take car of yourselves.

Man knocks out dad, kidnaps teenage girl in Minneapolis and flees

2008-07-10T16:40:00.001-05:00

July 10, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/24333304.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:2

A teenage girl was abducted today from her northeast Minneapolis home after the suspect punched and knocked out the teen's father, police said.

Police are looking for Tony Montez McGee, 19, who was the subject of a restraining order taken out on behalf of the victim, Alison Leigh Traefald.

Paper Armor is not a defense. Restraining orders are part of a paper trail to be used when the a thug's violent actions escalate.

Duluth police said two men robbed another at knifepoint in an apartment

2008-06-30T08:43:00.001-05:00

June 24, 2008

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=69116§ion=News

Earlier in the day, Duluth police said two men robbed another at knifepoint in an apartment at [address redacted].

According to police, officers responded to a report of a home-invasion robbery at 6:38 p.m. The male victim had been sleeping and was awakened by two black males, one of whom was armed with a small knife, who had entered the apartment through an unlocked door.

The suspects threatened the victim with the knife and demanded money. The suspects fled with the victim’s cellular phone and an undisclosed amount of cash, in a car parked in the area. The suspects were unknown to the victim, but referred to the victim by name during the robbery. Police believe the robbery was not random.

The victim was not injured.

Folloup to Truman Intruder that Got Shot in the Leg

2008-06-12T09:13:00.002-05:00

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...Her husband heard the commotion, he came out to assist his wife, the intruder turned on him and Mrs. Sauck was able to escape and run next door to her sons home.The Sauck's son Mark ran to their home armed with a handgun... when he arrived he found the intruder beating his father.Police say Bennett then turned his attention to Mark...Mark struck the intruder on the head with the gun and that still didn't stop him. 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 everyones 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."

Invader in Truman Shot in Leg During Assault

2008-06-11T09:23:00.003-05:00

June 11, 2008

http://www.twincities.com/minnesota/ci_9549973

It's not yet clear what happened here, but the home owners apparently struggled with the invader:

Police responded to a call shortly after midnight from a rural home near the town of Truman, which is southwest of Mankato. Marcella Sauck called to report that a man in his 30s was in her home and assaulting her husband, Elmer.

Marcella Sauck suffered a broken arm during the incident, and Elmer Sauck was hospitalized with unknown injuries. The suspect suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was airlifted to Rochester with a police escort.

I wonder if the suspect was shot with his own gun in the struggle or by one of the home owners. I expect we'll see a follow up on this shortly with more details.

Confession: Congdon Park family robbed for college money

2008-06-09T20:05:00.000-05:00

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

2008-06-06T11:24:00.005-05:00

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:

"I didn't even see the other guy come around this guy and hit me," Traub said. "As I got hit a couple of times in the head and face, I was falling on the floor, bleeding quite a lot, and couldn't figure out why I was bleeding, because I thought I just got punched."

The armed invader slashed Traub once in the face and twice in the head; the tip of the knife broke and lodged into his skull, behind his right ear. It is still there; doctors determined that it would cause more harm than good to dig it out.

"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."

The perpetrators took mouthwash from Traub's bathroom and poured it on his face to see if he was still alive. When Traub opened his eyes to see what they were splashing on him, he heard one of the suspects tell the other "you gotta be a man, you gotta kill him."

After a slight hesitation, the intruder stabbed Traub in the back 17 times with the blunt knife; the point was still imbedded in his head. "We're thinking the knife didn't go in as deep as it could have because the tip was missing," he said.

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

2008-06-05T22:01:00.001-05:00

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.

Police investigate Hibbing sex assault

2008-06-04T08:25:00.001-05:00

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=67823

Hibbing Police are looking for suspects in a home invasion and sexual assault that happened early this morning.

A press release from the Hibbing Police Department said the incident occurred in the Graysher area of Hibbing at 3:16 a.m.

Further details weren’t available tonight.

The police are being incredibly tight-lipped about this, according to both of the articles I've read. Hopefully, it's to protect the victim's privacy.

Armed Invasion

2008-05-28T13:48:00.003-05:00

May 27, 2008

http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/19295109.html

Duluth police are investigating another armed home invasion in the Central Hillside.

Authorities were called to a home on North 1st Avenue East and 6th Street Monday just after 4 in the morning.

When police arrived they learned there had been an intruder with a gun but the person had fled shortly before they arrived.

Fairly standard home invasion.

Within a short time authorities stopped a vehicle and found a man hiding in the backseat.

The man matched the description of the intruder and a gun, registered in his name was found in his possession.

The passenger was positively identified as the man who had invaded the house with a gun.

Both the driver and passenger were arrested and are being held in the St. Louis County jail.

I'm glad he was caught. I'd be interested to know how the gun was registered in the thug's name, when Minnesota has no form of gun registration.

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

2008-05-28T13:43:00.003-05:00

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.

Hastings man robbed at gunpoint in own home

2008-05-22T13:11:00.002-05:00

May 22, 2008

http://www.hastingsstargazette.com/articles/index.cfm?id=17723§ion=News&freebie_check&CFID=38200516&CFTOKEN=76530871&jsessionid=8830bea4a7072874324e

When Octavio Perez opened the door of his Tuttle Drive home after hearing a knock, he never expected to be staring down the barrel of a gun.

Never open your door if you don't know who's on the other side. Get a peephole, if you don't have one already.

When he opened the door he saw two men, one black and one white, who he thinks were between the ages of 18 and 20. They each pulled out a gun, knocked Perez to the floor and began to hit him with their guns.

“They were yelling ‘Where’s the money? Where’s the money?’” Perez said.

He curled into a ball on the floor, trying to protect his head from being beaten. He sustained several cuts and bruises to his head, face and arms.

What a horrible night.

The suspect holding a gun to Perez continued to beat him as he pushed him into a closet. Perez looked up at his attacker, who hit him again and said, “‘Don’t look at me,’” Perez recalled.

The person who was searching the house came back to the room, holding a laptop computer that belonged to another of Perez’ roommates.

At that point, the one with the gun on Perez started yelling, “‘Do you want me to shoot him? Do you want me to shoot him?’” Perez said.

Thankfully, he wasn't seriously hurt.

Authorities search for burglary suspect driving stolen car

2008-05-15T20:56:00.001-05:00

May 15, 2008

http://www.startribune.com/local/18972764.html

Authorities in Sherburne County are asking for help in locating a man who allegedly attacked a homeowner, stole her purse and drove off in a stolen vehicle on Wednesday.

Capt. Joel Brott of the Sherburne County Sheriff's Office said a man entered a house on the 10900 block 37th Street in Palmer Township and grabbed a woman's purse. As he left, the woman confronted the burglar. He pushed her to the ground, then fled in a motor vehicle.

No word on whether her door was locked.

Friendly advice: Never confront a burglar unless you are armed. Even if you are armed, it's probably still a better idea to barricade yourself and let him go away.

Man robbed at gunpoint in bedroom

2008-05-15T08:29:00.000-05:00

May 15, 2008

http://www.sctimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080515/NEWS01/105150017

The article is too short to excerpt, so here it is, in its entirety.

Two men forced their way into a home this morning, and held a 20-year-old man down on his bed at gunpoint while they robbed him. St. Cloud police said.
Advertisement

The burglary and assault happened at 4:25 a.m. in the 500 block of 13th Street South. Money was stolen from the room. The victim was not injured, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contract St. Cloud police at 251-1200 or Crime Stoppers at 255-1301.

Suspects in custody following Coon Rapids home invasion

2008-05-13T17:22:00.000-05:00

Monday, 12 May 2008

http://abcnewspapers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2631&Itemid=28

Two male juveniles are in custody at the Anoka County Juvenile Center, Lino Lakes, in the wake of a home invasion at a Coon Rapids residence early Saturday morning.

A 39-year-old Coon Rapids man was awakened shortly after 4 a.m. May 10 to find two white males in his house on the 12000 block of Alder Street N.W.

But according to the Coon Rapids Police report, when he tried to detain them, one of them assaulted him with a wine bottle.

He suffered cuts to the head and his left eye was swollen.

There are no details, but I'm glad the vicious little punks were caught immediately.