Police: Lakeville Man Behind Model Homes Thefts
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Investigators say a report of missing appliances in several model homes led to a Lakeville man addicted to heroin.
The Dakota County Attorney's office says Colt Burton Olson, 22, is charged with one count of third-degree burglary in connection to several thefts committed between Dec. 2 and Dec. 13.
The criminal complaint says a construction company contacted police on Dec. 2 after several dishwashers were stolen from their model homes that were still being built in Lakeville.
Surveillance video helped investigators spot a silver minivan and its license plate.
Police monitoring Craigslist saw an ad for a dishwasher posted Dec. 13, which matched one of the missing ones.
A meeting was arranged to buy the dishwasher, and the undercover officer was told by the seller that he was going to be in a silver minivan. The vehicle had the same license plate as the one in the surveillance video.
The officer said Olson was driving the van, and was with a woman. He helped unload the dishwasher with the officer, who said the appliance still had the drain hose and waterline attached, which was still leaking water. The serial number matched that of the missing model.
Olson later admitted to police that had stolen the dishwasher from a model home, and had stolen various appliances from other locations, storing the goods in someone else's home. Olson took officers to the different homes and showed them how he gained entrance. He also told them he is trying to kick an addiction to heroin.
He could face up to five years in prison if convicted.