'They Had A Standoff For Over An Hour': Robbinsdale Police Capture Rampant Garage Thief
ROBBINSDALE, Minn. (WCCO) — Inside police headquarters are displayed a thief's riches from his night of crime. It began early Tuesday morning when Robbinsdale officers were tipped to a string of garage break-ins.
"They found a vehicle that looked suspicious to them. At that point is when they saw the individual exit out of a garage that had an open door," Officer Casey Landherr said.
The suspect was able to flee officers in a stolen car. He went down the alley near 40th Avenue and Orchard Street where he crashed into a snowbank. It all transpired outside Wally Langfellow's Robbinsdale home.
"The first thing I heard was police cars coming down our alley," Langfellow said.
Langfellow was looking out his bedroom window when he saw the suspect break into a neighbor's garage, attempting to hide.
"I saw him lower his shoulder and break into the door. Yes, you can see the pieces fallen to the side," Langfellow said.
He then photographed the moment officers moved in as they were yelling for the suspect to keep his hands up.
"I looked out front and police were looking for somebody. So I went out front and told them I saw him and told them where he was. Then they surrounded the garage and had a standoff for over an hour," Langfellow said.
All the stolen property was packed into the suspect's car. Robbinsdale resident Jim Beck also had his garage broken into, but he doesn't think anything was stolen.
Beck looked at his home security cameras and saw the thief attempting to break in.
"I saw him go to the neighbor's truck, check that out, and then he went to the neighbor's garage and checked that out. No, he didn't get nothing," Beck said.
But he did get a lot from other victims, as evidenced by the pile of loot in the police garage. Now, Robbinsdale police want to hear from other victims, as they attempt to put this stolen loot into the rightful owner's hands.