Man Charged With Burglary After Community Helps ID Him On Social Media
BLAINE, Minn. (WCCO) -- A man is facing first-degree burglary charges after community members helped identify him from posts on social media.
The complaint alleges 38-year-old Justin Harvey was caught on a Blaine resident's doorbell security camera stealing from her neighbor's garage the night of Aug. 9. The video shows a man in the doorway holding several items that were reportedly stolen from her neighbor including a pair of sunglasses, several gift cards, a draw string bag and a garage door opener.
The man who reported the stolen items said he had been at a friend's house that night, and did not notice the missing items until the next morning.
After the security video was posted and shared online, community members came forward and identified Harvey as the alleged thief. Police compared the video to DVS photos of Harvey, giving them probable cause to question him.
Harvey told police the items in his hands were his, and that the reason he was holding so many items in his hands was because his car had broken down. He said he had ducked into the doorway of the home because he was having trouble carrying his items and wanted to get them in order.
Police say Harvey then backtracked and said the man in the video was not him.
Harvey's court date is set for Jan. 29.
