Maple Grove Man, 20, Arrested & Charged In Multiple Burglaries
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Coon Rapids police say they've arrested a 20-year-old man who is believed to be responsible for 14 burglaries and attempted burglaries in the last several months.
On Feb. 25, 2015, police arrested Jacob Shultz of Maple Grove. He now faces several counts of first-degree burglary and attempted first-degree burglary by the Anoka County Attorney's Office.
According to police, officers were dispatched to the 2400 block of 103rd Avenue Northwest at 4:55 a.m. on Feb. 25 on the report of a suspicious male. There, officers located the man and recognized him as matching the description of a person mentioned in connection with other burglaries in the area. He was later identified as Shultz.
After further investigation, Shultz was linked to 14 burglaries and attempted burglaries in the area.
All of the burglaries occurred at homes with unlocked doors. Police say Shultz even returned to the same homes multiple times over several months because the doors were left unlocked.
"It is so important that people lock their doors, whether it's the front, back, patio or garage doors… before they go to sleep or leave home," Captain Jon Urquhart said. "It only takes a few moments and it can keep people from becoming an easy target for this type of crime. Lock before you leave or go to sleep; I can't stress it enough."
Coon Rapids police say the city has had a sharp decline in burglary cases over the last several years and the crime rate overall is at its lowest point in 30 years.