Sunfish Lake burglaries target high-end homes, similar to other cases in metro area – Twin Cities

Police are investigating a series of residential burglaries targeting high-end homes in Sunfish Lake, a small, affluent suburb of Dakota County.

West St., which provides police services in Sunfish Lake. According to St. Paul police Chief Brian Sturgeon, four cases have been reported since late September, with the latest discovered on Monday.

The thefts are similar to more than 60 cases in the metro area, and other cases are similar in nature. targeting professional athletes at the national level. Law enforcement agencies have been investigating burglaries at luxury homes in Eagan, Richfield, Minneapolis, Edina, Minnetonka, Fridley, Medina, Minnetrista and Orono since last November. WCCO-TV And KARE-TV. Timberwolves player Mike Conley In September, a house in Medina was burgled.

According to Sturgeon, the homes of a professional athlete in Sunfish Lake and the homes of business figures were targeted when the homeowners were not home. He said “small, expensive things” such as jewelery and cash were stolen.

“We know they use some sophisticated techniques to identify when people in homes have left and where outside cameras are placed in homes, and that burglaries are the work of more than one person,” Sturgeon said.

Sturgeon said Monday afternoon that police were still on the scene of the burglary that day and did not have specific information about which athlete’s home was burglarized.

Sunfish Lake Mayor Dan O’Leary wrote on the municipality’s website The third theft occurred on Saturday night. He said police “had 15 officers, as well as K-9s and helicopters, searching throughout the SFL last night, using powerful floodlights to illuminate the forest.”

Police are reminding people to set their security alarms, even for a short time, and to call police if they see suspicious activity.

“Until these thefts are stopped (and I assure you that the police, Dakota County… and the FBI are doing everything they can to find the perpetrators) I ask all of you to be especially vigilant with your property,” O’Leary said. wrote.

Sturgeon said burglaries in Sunfish Lake, which has a population of just over 500 and an average home value of about $1.2 million, were “extremely unusual.”