A (501) C Non-Profit Organization
Tri-County
Crime Stoppers
of Minnesota, Inc.
Serving Central Minnesota
P.O. Box 545 St. Cloud, MN 56302-0545
St. Cloud Area: 255-1301
Outside St. Cloud: 1-800-255-1301
About Crime Stoppers
Online tip reporting
Tri-County Crime Stoppers has added online tip
reporting to it’s arsenal of tools for use by citizens to anonymously
submit tips on unsolved crimes in the tri-counties of Benton, Stearns and
Sherburne.
Go to the "How To Report / Collect" page for complete instructions.
Crime Stoppers Open Cases for Week of November 17, 2008
Media Release
POLICE DEPARTMENT SEEKING
ASSISTANCE FROM THE PUBLIC
The St. Cloud Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in
response to the number of burglaries that have been occurring within the
city overall and in particular within the south central area of the city.
We need the public’s help in two main areas.
The first area is in the detection of the crime of burglary. Many of the
crimes that have been reported involve activities that should be
considered suspicious when observed by members of the public. A person
cutting a window screen, breaking a window pane, removing a window or
forcing a door to a dwelling are just a few examples.
We are asking our citizens to make an extra effort to monitor their
neighborhoods, especially with the holiday season fast approaching.
Holiday purchases increase the likelihood that high value items may be
stored in vehicles or located within homes or apartments and easily
accessed by burglars. Criminals will take advantage of the extra
opportunities afforded by the holiday season.
Citizens should be on the lookout for suspicious activities, like a.
person or people looking into vehicles or showing an unusual interest in a
residence or dwelling. Citizens should trust their instincts and they
should immediately report any activity they feel is suspicious or out of
the ordinary to the police department. Dial 911 if appropriate for the
situation or dial the St. Cloud Police non-emergency number 251-1200 to
report the activity.
The second area is in the protection of personal property. Sadly, too many
burglary victims have left their home or apartment doors unlocked.
Remember, a lock is not a lock unless it is locked! Exterior doors should
be locked when citizens are in their residences and especially when they
leave their residence, even for the briefest of periods.
Items of value should not be left in plain view inside a vehicle and
should be removed from the vehicle, completely. Citizens should also make
it difficult for criminals to view items of value inside their home or
apartment through the exterior windows. Observing valuable items that are
easily accessible within a residence is a direct invitation to the
criminal.
High value items, including computers, TV's, IPod's and other electronic
items have serial numbers. Citizens should keep a record of their own
property and the gifts they purchase for others by noting the brand, model
and especially the SERIAL NUMBER of the item. Don't wait until a gift is
given or received to make a record of this information! The information
should be recorded immediately after the item is purchased or obtained as
appropriate.
When the owner of property that is stolen can provide the brand, model and
serial number of the stolen item(s) to the police, the property
information can be entered into a nationwide law enforcement database. A
simple check alerts law enforcement officers to the stolen property and
may lead to the arrest of people that steal property or deal with stolen
property. Criminals do not like to take or handle property that they
believe can be or has been entered into this nationwide database!
Citizens may also enroll in OPERATION IDENTIFICATION (OPID). They will
receive an OPID number they can use to mark their possessions. An OPID
number also allows property to be entered into the nationwide database
should it be stolen. Non-St. Cloud residents should contact their local
law enforcement agency for OPID information. St. Cloud residents should
contact the St. Cloud Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 650-3682.
Finally, burglars have gained access to residences locally by activating
the garage door remote control that was located within a resident's
vehicle that was parked outside. Once access was made into the garage, the
burglars entered the homo through an unlocked door or they cut openings
through the walls using tools found inside the garage.
We encourage citizens to lock their interior garage doors, consider the
tools stored within their garage and most importantly, to secure or
safeguard their garage door remote controls to prevent this type of
burglary access.
For more information contact: John Justin, Crime Prevention Specialist,
St. Cloud Police Department, (320) 650-3682 or by email at:
john.justin@ci.stcloud.mn.us
St. Cloud Police: Residential Burglary and Theft
On 11/14/08
at approximately 2302 hours officers were dispatched to 1100 block of 9th
Avenue South in reference to a burglary complaint. Upon arrival officers
made contact with the victims who stated between 2115 hours and 2230 hours
someone broke the window out of their apartment, which is on the ground
level of the building. The suspect(s) gained entrance to the apartment
through that window and ultimately stole two laptops, two cell phones, and
a Wii game system.
At this time there are no suspects in the case; however, the St. Cloud
Police Department is asking help from the citizens in identifying who may
have done this. Anyone with information regarding this burglary or any of
the burglaries in the college area are encouraged to call the St. Cloud
Police at 320-251-1200 or Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301.
Residents are reminded to continue to lock all doors and windows and to
make sure belongings of value are not in plain view.
We are a non-profit agency solely dependent upon donations for our funding. Learn more about how you can help us!