Twin Cities Crime Alert

For those of you living in the Twin Cities area, this alert came from SE Como Improvement Association & Resource Center.

You can also go to the SECIA web site >>

From: Jennifer Lee, resource center coordinator
Date: Thu Jun 02, 2005 03:41:17 PM US/Central
Subject: Attention Residents! ALERT regarding a group selling committing burglaries

ATTENTION RESIDENTS!

The Minneapolis Police Department has received information about a “Gypsy Style” group of 40 to 50 people who were committing Burglaries > that are reportedly heading to the Metro Area from Colorado.

Members of the group say they work for American Community Services selling Magazine subscriptions. Some members of the group ask residents to let them into the house to write up the order at the kitchen table, get a glass of water or to use the bathroom. When they are in the house they “case” the residence for future burglary, or steal keys, purses or other small valuables as they leave.

ColoradoPolice had 23 related Burglaries over a three week period. The Burglaries occurred between1:30amand5:00am. All of the houses were occupied. Of two suspects identified in theColoradoincidents, one was a black male and the other a white male.

AMERICAN COMMUNITY SERVICES ALSO USES THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS ALIAS; TOTAL DEDICATION INC., OMNI-HORIZONS INC., DEDICATED TOO INC., ROUSSA W ENTERPRISE, SHIRLEY'S GLOBETROTTERS, UNIFIED GOLD KEY INC., AND UNIFIED PRODUCERS.

Current information indicates that this or similar groups have been observed INBrooklyn Center,Brooklyn ParkandCrystalwithin the last two weeks.

The groups are traveling throughout theU.S., staying in motels along inter-states, driving in large white vans. The groups are often transported to neighborhoods in these vans and dropped off to solicte magazine sales on foot.

Residents should use caution if approched by a door-to-door salesperson. Door-to- door selling requires a peddlers liscense. do not allow them into your home for any reason!

If you see any of this activity in your neighborhood, on your block, or if you are approched call 911.

SE Como Improvement Association & Resource Center
837 SE 15th Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-676-1731 / www.secomo.org

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SECIA is the neighborhood association representing the Como neighborhood in Southeast Minneapolis

Como boundaries:

35W to the west
the St. Paul border/Hwy 280 to the east
railroad
tracks/Elm St. to the south
E. Hennepin Ave/Winter St. NE to the north