Police Warn South Minneapolis Residents After Recent Garage Break-Ins
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Police are warning residents after a rash of garage break-ins have been reported throughout south Minneapolis in the last five days.
Authorities say thieves are forcing their way into garages, taking whatever they can find. Eight garages have been hit in the last five days. Now, neighbors and police are working together to find those responsible.
The Diamond Lake neighborhood in south Minneapolis is the latest area where police noticed a pattern of forced entry into garages. Garages have been hit from the 5800 block of Chicago Avenue to 12th Avenue South.
"We're not noticing a specific pattern on the property taken – it's just miscellaneous property of value in garages," said Sgt. Darcy Horn with Minneapolis police.
"I've heard where people have dumped off a really crappy bike and then taken a nice bike out of a garage and left the crappy bike behind," Terry Kintop said.
Kintop says neighbors are working together to keep their property safe. They are sharing what they know on a neighborhood crime prevention page and are also working together to shed light on anyone hanging out in alleys.
"I keep lights on all night. I've got three lights here that illuminate this backyard pretty well. I keep the light on the front of my house on all night as well," Kintop said. "I know the neighbor here has lights that go on automatically when you walk by and they are really bright, so it can kind of startle people if they are nosing around," Kintop said.
Doorbells with cameras are capturing images of strangers allowing neighbors to share with each other on the crime prevention page.
"Some people are sending on the neighborhood thing videos of people that they've seen in the backyard or in the alleys at night just to let people know here is a person that is back there," Kintop said.
Police say there are other precautions homeowners can take.
"Installing a metal or solid wood garage door and service door makes it harder to compromise and break in," Sgt. Horn said.
So far, police have made no arrests. If you see something or know something about these break-ins, call police.