MINNEAPOLIS — Residents are being warned to take steps and be vigilant after an uptick in garage burglaries in Minneapolis.
Police sent out an alert Wednesday morning documenting at least 15 separate addresses in the 3rd precinct that have been targeted in the past week. In many cases the crooks have been gaining access through service doors, or by stealing a garage door opening from a car parked in the driveway.
Bikes, tools and lawn/garden equipment are among the items reported stolen.
While nothing can guarantee your property won't be targeted, Minneapolis crime prevention specialists say there are things residents can do to minimize the chances. Among them:
- Always keep your garage locked and take additional steps to further secure valuable items inside your garage.
- Consider storing expensive bikes inside your home or locking them to a stationary object in your garage.
- Do not leave your garage remote inside your car. Carry it in with you or secure it inside your home.
- Service doors should have a deadbolt with a minimum of 6-inch strike plates and 3-inch screws.
- Record all serial numbers of equipment such as bikes and tools and any guns you might have. Having this information in case you are the victim of a burglary may greatly help in getting it returned and tracking potential suspects.
- Increase lighting in the alley and around your home. Motion lights are helpful. Cameras are helpful in some cases too.
Along with those suggestions, police say there is strength in community. Alert neighbors and block club members to crime trends like this increase in garage burglaries, and call 911 to report criminal activity like individuals checking in parked cars, looking into garage windows or trying to open service doors.
WATCH MORE ON KARE 11+
Download the free KARE 11+ app for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV and other smart TV platforms to watch more from KARE 11 anytime! The KARE 11+ app includes live streams of all of KARE 11's newscasts. You'll also find on-demand replays of newscasts; the latest from KARE 11 Investigates, Breaking the News and the Land of 10,000 Stories; exclusive programs like Verify and HeartThreads; and Minnesota sports talk from our partners at Locked On Minnesota.
- Add KARE 11+ on Roku here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Roku Channel Store.
- Add KARE 11+ on Fire TV here or by searching for KARE 11 in the Amazon App Store.
- Learn more about the KARE 11+ app for Apple TV in the Apple App Store.
- Learn more about KARE 11+ here.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities and across Minnesota in our YouTube playlist:
