Burglary Alert for the Lyndale & Kingfield Neighborhood

Eleven burglaries have been reported since 05/18/2018, in the Lyndale and Kingfield neighborhoods. Five of the burglaries were to homes, where the suspect gained entry to lower level windows by cutting the screens and pushing up the unlocked windows.  Of the six garages that were entered, three of the service doors were unlocked and three appeared to be kicked in.  MPD will be conducting extra patrol efforts during the times when the burglaries are occurring, in both plain clothes and in uniform.  They will also be flyering the neighborhoods with prevention tips when we see open garage doors, to try to connect with residents to inform them of the incidents.  If you would like to host a block club meeting in response to these burglaries and learn more about what you can do to keep your home and neighborhood safe, contact CPS/Jennifer Waisanen at (612) 673-5407.  If you have any information that could lead to a suspect on these burglaries, please contact our property crimes investigators at (612) 673-5715.

Home Security Prevention Tips:

• Lock your home, apartment, and garage doors and windows at all times, even if you are in the home or yard.
• Do not leave valuables in plain sight.  This includes laptops, purses, wallets, keys, and anything else that may contain personal information.  Remember: Treat your garage door opener as a key to your property.
• Record the make, model, and serial numbers on your valuables and keep in a safe place.  This information can greatly assist in recovery of items.  Photographs may also be of assistance.
• Secure windows and doors in homes, and garages.
• Use deadbolt locks with at least a 1” throw on all exterior doors.  Use 6” strike plates and 3” case-hardened screws that enter the studs behind the doorframe.
• Pin or add auxiliary locking devices to windows and sliding glass doors.
• Place an opaque material over garage windows.
• Install a solid core door with a deadbolt on garage service door.
• Secure overhead garage door tracks with a padlock.
• Consider installing security film on windows near or on doors to prevent access to door locks via breaking a window.
• Consider using timers on lights, radios and/or a TV when you are away from home.
• If you have a security system, use it even while at home.  Dogs can be a deterrent as well.
• Know who is in your home; service providers and contractors should do background checks on their employees.

How to report a burglary:

Call 911 to report a burglary, whether or not you witness the burglary in progress.  Note missing items, suspect description, tools, objects, or DNA evidence left at scene, possible time and date of occurrence, video surveillance, etc.

See http://www.minneapolismn.gov/police/crimeprevention/index.htm for more tips.

Please call 911 on all suspicious activity including suspicious persons and vehicles loitering near homes and in alleyways, or unfamiliar noises such as breaking glass.