Police: Woman Tied Up, Sexually Assaulted By Intruders
MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (WCCO) -- A Maplewood, Minn. woman says two men broke into her townhome Monday morning, tied her up and sexually assaulted her before fleeing in her vehicle, according to police.
Police say the 33-year-old woman lives in the 1700 block of McKnight Lane in the Town Houses of Maple Woods.
The victim said the incident occurred around 6:15 a.m. and that she was still sleeping when the two men carried her out of her bedroom.
"She was tied up, duct-taped, essentially," said Deputy Police Chief David Kvam. "She was able to free herself up enough at least to hobble over to a neighbor's home, where she was able to make contact and get free and ultimately contact police."
NewsRadio 830 WCCO's Telly Mamayek Reports
Podcast
After the men fled the scene, the woman said she was able to free herself and went over to a neighbor's home to report what had happened, said Kvam.
Kvam said the woman went to Regions Hospital for a sexual assault exam but did not say what kind of injuries she sustained.
On June 2, the victim filed a different police report. Neighbors say they heard someone actually broke in twice last spring.
"She felt that people had been at the house," said Gail Williams. "Someone had been at the house, but not taken anything."
"Our neighbor next door has been here for 30 (years)," said her daughter Lynn Williams. "And this was the first time anything like this has ever happened."
Police say they have no reason to believe the burglary in June and the one today are related.
"It would seem logical that her address was targeted," said Kvam. "But why that is we do not know."
"With my dad being a cop, and I grew up in a police department, you hear things and see things with people, and it doesn't feel random to me," said Lynn Williams.
Asked if she feels less safe in her townhome today, Lynn's mother Gail Williams shook her head. They say they're not afraid, but they feel for their neighbor.
"It's not something anyone should go through, ever," said Lynn Williams.
Police say the victim saw her attackers, but the description she gave wasn't specific enough for them to release.
The woman said the men took items from her home and stole her blue 2005 Subaru Outback, with a Minnesota vanity license plate of BRRLEE. Anyone with information about the case should call police at (651) 777-8191.
Paula Engelking, Producer
Contact Paula
WCCO-TV's Dennis Douda Reports
(© Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
