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It’s just like taking candy from a baby. That’s what burglars are laughing about in Minnetonka these days. As a result, this string of burglaries in Minnetonka has prompted a crime alert.
The burglars are gaining access to homes by using the homeowner’s own garage door openers. At least fourteen residential burglaries have been reported. If you leave your unlocked car outside with your garage door opener in the car, guess what, all these criminals have to do is push the button and get into your home.
The police also said that they are gaining access through open garage doors as well as unlocked doors. Many valuables have been stolen such as purses, wallets, checkbooks, laptop computers, cell phones, cameras, bicycles and other items.
What can you do to prevent or stop this crime? It’s as simple as locking your doors, closing the garage door and even parking your car in the garage. If you want to leave your car outside, please remove your garage door opener from your car and take it inside with you.
The police are encouraging you to join neighborhood watch groups. Report any suspicious activity or if you see someone not from your neighborhood call the Minnetonka police at 952-939-8554.
Operation FALCON (Federal And Local Cops Organized Nationally) is a nationwide fugitive apprehension operation coordinated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). This operation uses the resources of federal, state, city and county law enforcement agencies to locate and apprehend criminals wanted for crimes of violence.
This year during the last week in June, FALCON captured and arrested 112 fugitives throughout Minnesota. The suspects had outstanding felony warrants for a variety offenses including assault, narcotics, robbery, and one was wanted for a homicide in St. Paul. Several gang members were also arrested. One suspect who was a sex offender and failed to register was basically off the radar but the officers involved in FALCON tracked him down and arrested him in the Champlain area.
Since its inception in 2005, Operation FALCON has sworn in participating local officers as Special Deputy U.S. Marshals. During the last three years, FALCON has made more than 36,500 arrests of dangerous fugitive felons and cleared more than 45,000 warrants. It continues to be the largest and most successful fugitive apprehension effort in U.S. Marshals history.
Back on June 2, 2008, I posted a blog on “Crime knows no boundaries.” The blog reported about the killings of 32 bison in Fairplay, Colorado. Good news, today the Texas businessman and ranch owner who allowed this killing spree to happen is being prosecuted in the deaths of the 32 bison.
According to the latest news report , Jeffrey Scott Hawn of Austin has been charged with 32 counts of animal cruelty, one count of theft of more than $20,000 and one count of criminal mischief. The indictment says that he “tortured, needlessly mutilated or needlessly killed” the bison that belonged to another rancher.
Even though these charges are misdemeanors, animal cruelty can get you 2-4 years of jail time and theft and criminal mischief can add a couple of more years in jail. My best advice for Mr. Hawn would be to plead guilty, pay the fines and admit that he was stupid in doing what he did. Maybe the judge will waive jail time. If not, that should teach him not to kill one of God’s creatures and take away a livelihood from a hardworking rancher.
I’ll continue to follow the progress on this crime and let you know the outcome.
The Sun Newspaper reported that burglars recently broke into a Minnetonka gun store and stole about 30 firearms. These burglars tried earlier that night to break in the Glen Lake Gun Shop but the alarm stopped them.
When police arrived the first time, no guns were reported stolen. After the police left, the burglars came back and within an hour before the first employee came to work, the thieves left behind shards of shattered glass after they smashed and grabbed four cases full of guns. The types of guns missing are 30 handguns, including .22s, .38s, .45s and Glock’s.
About three years ago, 70 guns were stolen at a store in Richfield. In the following months, guns turned up at a high school, on a school bus, one was used to shoot at a police officer and others have been used in violent crimes. Of the 70 firearms stolen three years ago, only a few have been recovered.
It is important that these criminals and guns be found. If you have information, call Minnetonka Police at 952-939-8500 or call the confidential tip line at 952-935-8000.
The Columbia Heights Police Department (CHPD) has started a crime reduction program this summer that addresses crime and offenses in the city. The initiative involves partnering with the Anoka County Sheriff’s Department, the Fridley Police Department, The Anoka-Hennepin Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force (AHDTF) and the Minnesota Gang Strike Force.
They are targeting areas in the city that have crimes against people to enforcement of juvenile offenses – such as curfew and underage drinking. This proactive approach so far has netted 50 arrests and charges for offenses such as curfew violation, possession of drugs and underage consumption of alcohol. In addition, the summer initiative is focusing on two components, one on violent and repeat offenders and problem narcotic areas that relate to many calls to the department.
The CHPD along with AHDTF recently set up surveillance and enforcement operations that resulted in 11 arrests, 2 search warrants and 28 weapons seized since the summer initiative began. By the first week of July, 35 arrests were made, including two felony-level narcotics arrests and three weapons arrests. Some of the arrests identified potential gang members and helped establish safety and security at the Columbia Heights Jamboree festival. This demonstrates that the initiative has a significant impact and brings a real sense of safety and security to the community.
The summer initiative will continue through the end of August and if it works out well, the summer initiative may become a full-time program.
The Mankato Free Press recently ran a story about a homeowner who was stealing electricity from a grain storage facility between Mapleton and Minnesota Lake. It seems that the nearby homeowner ran a line from their house to the facility because back in September 2006 their electricity was shut off for non-payment to the electric company.
Here is where the story gets good. When police searched the house, they found a methamphetamine lab in the house along with processed methamphetamine. The three people were arrested on felony first-degree drug manufacturing charges and felony fifth degree drug possession.
The moral of the story is – if you are cooking meth in your house – pay your electric bill! And by all means don’t run a loose wire to a nearby facility where the police can track you down.
Chalk one up for the good guys for catching another stupid criminal .
Quick, what is the number you call for an emergency?
911 - of course!
But in the latest article in the Twin Cities say that the emergency center for Ramsey County may need help.
Call volumes during the month of July in Minnesota tend to be 25 percent higher than in December. Lately, the county’s Emergency Communications Center is ailing and some people are questioning if the dispatchers can keep up. You see, in the first six months after the merger of the St. Paul, Maplewood and Ramsey County sheriff’s 911 operations last year, the ECC exceeded national standards for speed in answering 911 calls. The standard of answering at least 90 percent of 911 calls is 10 seconds. Scott Williams, who is director of Ramsey County emergency communications and oversees the combined center, said that the center will continue trying to keep up the same service.
But with insufficient staffing, inadequate training and equipment glitches all seem to have compromised service. Some of the problems included emergency responders were sent to wrong addresses, tornado sirens did not sound or were delayed and key details about emergency calls were not passed on to first responders.
Everyday there are at least 105 call takers and dispatchers at the center but 114 people are needed to fully staff the center. The center plans to hire nine more call takers sometime in September.
Was merging the call centers a wise decision? Critics say that St. Paul has benefited more than the suburbs. However, plans to analyze how the center performs begin today for the next month.
Until then, don’t forget what they say in an emergency situation – keep calm and call 911 and hope they get it right.
It isn’t a crime not to wear your seatbelt in Minnesota. It isn’t a primary offense if you aren’t wearing a seatbelt it is only a secondary offense. Police officers cannot pull you over if you aren’t wearing a seatbelt.
But it IS a crime when you see people thrown from their cars in an accident and die on the highway.
This year, Minnesota police added patrols during the statewide Click It or Ticket seatbelt enforcement sweep. Minnesota law does require any occupant in the front seat to be buckled in as well as any occupant under the age of 11. More than 400 cities across the state participated in this nationwide crime prevention campaign.
When statistics show that wearing a seatbelt saves lives, why wouldn’t you take a second to wear a seatbelt? Take for instance the preliminary data from the state of Colorado who has the most aggressive seatbelt education. Statistics show the number of unbelted drivers and passengers who died on Colorado roadways dropped to an all-time low in 2007. Last year, 206 people who were not buckled up were killed in crashes. This is out of a total of 389 drivers and passengers who died. The percentage of unrestrained occupants killed was also the lowest on record at 53%. By comparison, in 2002, the first year of Click It or Ticket enforcement in Colorado, 380 people died unbuckled, representing 67% of the total number of drivers and passengers killed.
Because of Minnesota’s Click it or Ticket program this year, 81 percent of front seat occupants were wearing their seatbelts. That is an increase of four percent from last year. Did you know that most accidents occur within one mile of your home? So even if you are just driving to the local grocery store, make sure that everyone in your car is buckled up. You can help save lives by wearing your seatbelt.
Illegal drug use and arrests have stayed about the same in Minnesota according to the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) . In 2005, the number of people arrested in Minnesota for illegal drug use was at its peak at 292 arrests. The last two years this number has decreased steadily from 272 in 2006 to 258 in 2007.
In 2007, marijuana and cocaine were the most drugs seized in Minnesota by the DEA. Twenty-five meth lab incidents were also reported last year. The DEA reports that in Minnesota, Mexican traffickers that include both Mexican groups and street gangs such as the Latin Kings control the transportation, distribution and bulk sales of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and black tar heroin. Independent African American gangs mostly distribute crack cocaine.
The DEA also found that in outlying areas of the state, independent Caucasian groups and outlaw motorcycle gangs distribute methamphetamine in small quantities. Other drugs and pharmaceuticals such as OxyContin® and Vicodin® continue to be a problem in Minnesota. Primary methods of distribution are illegal sale and distribution by health care professionals and workers as well as “doctor shopping. Club drugs including MDMA (ecstasy) are most prevalent in Minneapolis’ gay population, and to a lesser extent, among young people at raves and nightclubs in suburban areas.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations ship marijuana into the state. Hispanic street gangs control the distribution at the retail level. However, marijuana is also available from local cultivators.
Local law enforcement agencies and the DEA are fighting illegal drug use and crimes. The DEA has posted their Most Wanted Fugitives for Federal Drug Crimes.
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