Stillwater Police Investigate Rash of Brazen Burglaries over Fourth of July

Stillwater police are investigating a rash of brazen burglaries that happened on the Fourth of July.

In five separate incidents, a burglar reportedly entered a home—and in one case, a vehicle—through an unlocked door and made off with purses, wallets, cash and electronics.

In each case, residents were home at the time of the entry. Police believe the incidents are related due to the mode of operation, proximity and time of the incidents.

According to police reports:

A resident of the 1500 block of Driving Park Road reported a burglary and the theft of a purse and its contents valued at $570.

A homeowner reported that after watching the fireworks show, her daughter had come home, put her purse on the kitchen table and went to bed. When they woke up the next morning, the purse was missing.

 The homeowners believe someone entered the house through an open patio door and took the purse from the kitchen table. The burglary was believed to have happened between 11:30 p.m. July 4 and 6 a.m. July 5.

At about 12:50 a.m. July 4, a resident of the 2800 block of Nightingale Court reported that she interrupted a burglary at her home.

A resident told police she was on the couch when she heard a noise near the garage. She sat up and saw a person she couldn’t identify holding a cell phone—using it as a flashlight—standing in the doorway from the mudroom from the garage.

The burglar reportedly stole the woman’s purse—but when the suspect saw her—he retreated, the report states. The service door to the garage was found open when police arrived. The door from the garage to the house was unlocked.

Police searched the area with K-9 officer, Buzz. The police dog tracked a scent from the burglary to the Long Lake Villas townhome project where the woman’s purse was located in the drainage ditch.

Police recovered the woman’s purse, but $200 in cash, a digital camera and keys to the house were missing. The homeowners were advised to change the locks of their home.

Homeowners in the 12700 block of 62nd Street North reported that they had returned home at about 10 p.m. July 4, put a wallet and purse on the kitchen counter and went to bed by 11:30 p.m.

Police believe someone entered the home through an unlocked service door from the garage, walked into the kitchen and stole the purse and wallet, the report states. The homeowners were home during the burglary.

While taking that burglary report, police were also told a burglary occurred at a neighboring home directly west on 62nd Street North. Police believe the burglar entered the home through an unlocked door leading into the home from the deck and stole a purse, wallet, computer and a backpack.

Police located all of the items along a walking path leading to the Brewers Lane housing complex, the report states. The only thing missing was $300 in cash.

A third resident of the 12700 block of 62nd Street North reported that someone entered an unlocked vehicle that was parked in the driveway and stole a wallet and an iPod valued at about $200. The wallet was recovered near a pond where the other stolen purses and wallets were located by police.

Police are urging people to make sure to lock their windows and doors. The case remains under investigation.