EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — After working for 43 years, one retired Eden Prairie couple is beside themselves after their jewelry and money were stolen from their home during broad daylight. Investigators are hoping records from a GPS tracking device will lead them to the person or persons behind the heist.
A search warrant filed in Hennepin County details the crime, which occurred Aug. 25. Eden Prairie Police say officers were dispatched to the address and met with the homeowners, who told them the house had been burglarized while they were away.
The couple said they left their home to celebrate their anniversary. They drove in their minivan around noon to have lunch in Edina. Afterward, when they were leaving, they noticed they had a flat tire and had to call a tow truck. Once it was towed to a repair shop, they called an Uber and returned home. They told KARE 11's Morgan Wolfe the back glass patio door of their home was smashed and their two safes were stolen. The couple says they weighed about 1,400 lbs and had up to $700,000 in jewelry and cash inside.
A neighbor's security video shows a white Jeep Cherokee with unknown plates pulling into the driveway while they were away.
An Eden Prairie police officer went to check the couple's minivan and determined that someone slashed the tire that had gone flat. While examining the tire the officer noticed a magnetic GPS tracking device had been placed on the frame of the van.
The couple who wants to remain anonymous told KARE 11's Morgan Wolfe, "We reach an age where life becomes comfortable after working hard for 43 years. It never came easy. We earned our way, and now this?"
The couple travels to antique shows to sell jewelry. The most recent event they were at was the Gold Rush Antique and Flea Market in Oronoco just five days prior to the burglary.
$700,000 in jewelry stolen from retired Eden Prairie couple
The search warrant, which was granted by Hennepin County District Court Judge Jay Quam, grants detectives' permission to access records from the manufacturer of the GPS device. They are seeking information on the person who purchased the device and other data that could lead to those behind the heist.
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