Police: Thieves Targeting Daycare Centers In Minnesota, Wisconsin
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police in Minnesota and Wisconsin are on the lookout for thieves who are targeting day care centers.
Police say in the last few weeks, thieves have hit day cares in four cities: Hudson, Wis., St. Paul, Shakopee and Edina. It appears they took advantage of parents who made it easy.
Hudson Police Chief Marty Jensen calls it a crime of opportunity.
"A lot of parents, especially like this incident we had, are in a hurry. They want to pick up their kids really quick," Chief Jensen said.
On Sept. 15, a mother picking up her young child from the KinderCare in Hudson, Wis., went inside, leaving car doors unlocked.
"She left the car running. She was just going to run in for a few minutes. Left her purse on the front seat," he said.
Workers inside the day care told police they saw a vehicle that looked like this gray 2006 Land Rover, parked next to the victim's car.
"Our suspects pulled up, looked, saw the vehicle was unlocked, the purse was easy, reached in, grabbed it, got in their car and took off," the chief said.
At the KinderCare in Shakopee, a similar theft took place that same week. And once again, witnesses described seeing a gray Land Rover driving through the parking lot. Police say the description of the two female suspects matches as well.
They're asking for the public's help to find the suspects.
"I think what's going to help us is somebody who might have seen something, if someone got a license plate, a better description of the woman who got into the car, that will help," he said.
The chief says this type of theft is not isolated to day care center parking lots and drivers should never leave valuables inside vehicles, in plain sight.
"We have had a number of break-ins to vehicles at sporting events where people leave their purses partially under the front seat. They will come and smash that window, grab that purse, and be gone in an instant," he said.
The Hudson victim didn't immediately realize her purse had been stolen. She had driven away when she made the discovery, then stopped and called the day care. She had credit cards, a cell phone and a wedding band in her bag. She immediately canceled her credit cards and deactivated her phone.
Police have some leads in their investigation. They do think they may have identified the suspects, but the challenge is connecting them with the thefts and proving they are in possession of those stolen items.
Anyone with information should call the Hudson (Wis.) Police Department or Shakopee Police Department.
