UPDATED: Suspect sought in Cottage Grove car break-ins; more than 30 reports filed

Police are asking for help in finding suspects linked to a string of stolen vehicles and other crimes that took place over three nights early last week in three different Cottage Grove neighborhoods.

The incidents were among more than 30 vehicle theft or tampering calls police responded to in a five-day period.

Six vehicles were stolen from garages overnight Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 25-26. Five vehicles had been recovered by later in the week.

Police distributed a photo of a suspect captured on a surveillance video set up at a victim’s home. The male suspect’s face and clothing are visible in the photo.

Late Sunday or early Monday morning, roughly a dozen vehicles in the Mississippi Dunes neighborhood, Pine Glen Park area and Pine Hill Elementary School neighborhood were tampered with and money was stolen from inside some of the vehicles, according to police.

On Tuesday, three vehicles were stolen from garages north of Hillside Trail and east of Jamaica Avenue.

Then, three more vehicles were taken from garages in the neighborhood near Cottage Grove Middle School Wednesday night.

Keys had been left in all of the vehicles, according to police.

All of the thefts occurred between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. In addition to the stolen vehicles, other cars had been tampered with.

Police called the thefts “crimes of opportunity” and reminded residents to lock their vehicles and not leave keys inside. In many cases, the homeowner had left a vehicle unlocked or the garage door open.

Theft locations

Here are the areas where recent vehicle thefts or tampering incidents were reported:

-- 8600 block of Grospoint Avenue on Sept. 22. The homeowner reported that someone entered an opened garage and took a cellphone and gym bag from two unlocked vehicles. The bag was found in the neighbor’s yard.

-- 8900 block of Greystone Avenue on Sept. 22. The homeowner reported miscellaneous items stolen from an unlocked vehicle in an open garage.

-- 8000 block of Granada Avenue on Sept. 23. The homeowner said a cellphone valued at $200 was stolen from a vehicle.

n 9600 block of Heath Avenue on Sept. 24. Two unlocked vehicles were entered. An iPod and $20 was taken from one and $50 and a checkbook were stolen from the other.

-- 8500 block of Hamlet Avenue. The homeowner told police two unlocked vehicles were tampered with. A GPS device valued at $225 was stolen.

-- 9300 block of Hale Avenue on Sept. 24. The police report indicated a vehicle was tampered with but nothing was stolen.

-- 8500 block of Hamlet Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that loose change was stolen from an unlocked vehicle in the driveway.

-- 9400 block of Dunes Lane on Sep. 24. One homeowner told police somebody rummaged through an unlocked vehicle, but nothing was stolen. Another homeowner in the block reported that $10 in change was taken from an unlocked vehicle. A third homeowner filed a similar report.

-- 9800 block of Heath Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that two unlocked vehicles were entered, but nothing was stolen.

-- 9700 block of Hames Court on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that tools valued at $400 were stolen from a locked vehicle. The tools were later found at Pine Glen Park.

-- 6300 block of Hedgecroft Avenue on Sept. 24. The police report indicated that a GPS device valued at $400 was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

-- 9600 block of Harkness Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that an unlocked vehicle was entered, but nothing was stolen.

-- 8900 block of Hamlet Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that an unlocked vehicle was entered, but nothing was stolen.

-- 8700 block of Hale Avenue on Sept. 24. The police report indicated that a wallet and contents valued at $75 were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

n 8900 block of Hamlet Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that a GPS device valued at $150 was stolen from a vehicle parked in the driveway.

-- 8800 block of Hale Avenue on Sept. 24. The homeowner told police a wallet and contents valued at $70 were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

-- 9700 block of Hames Court on Sept. 24. The homeowner reported that loose change was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

-- 7800 block of 69th Street Court on Sept. 26. The police report indicated that someone entered a vehicle in the driveway and used a garage door opener to open the garage. Nothing was reported stolen.

n 8500 block of Jeffery Avenue on Sept. 26. The homeowner reported that a 2008 Honda Accord valued at $26,000 was stolen from the garage. The car was unlocked and the keys and wallet were inside.

-- 8000 block of Hillside Trail on Sept. 26. The homeowner reported that two unlocked vehicles were entered. A drill valued at $300 was stolen.

-- 8300 block of Isle Avenue on Sept. 26. The police report indicated that someone used a garage door opener found in an unlocked vehicle to open the garage. The opener was stolen but nothing was taken from the garage.

-- 8500 block of Jeffery Avenue on Sept. 26. The homeowner told police someone used a garage door opener found in a vehicle in the driveway to open the garage. Headphones were stolen from one car and a GPS device also was stolen. Two cars were damaged. Total loss and damage was estimated at $4,470.

-- 9200 block of Hillside Trail on Sept. 26. The homeowner reported that two cars were stolen after the keys were left in the vehicles and the garage door was left open. A 2003 Nissan was later found in South St. Paul and a 2006 Lincoln was located in St. Paul.

-- 8400 block of Harkness Road on Sept. 26. The police report indicated that a computer, school bag, iPod and GPS device were stolen from a car in an open garage. Another vehicle was tampered with, but nothing was stolen. Total loss was estimated at $2,235.

-- 8800 block of Hillside Trail on Sept. 26. A cellphone and cash totaling $79 were stolen from a vehicle in an attached garage.

-- 9700 block of 74th Street Circle on Sept. 27. The homeowner reported that two vehicles were stolen from the garage. Both vehicles were recovered; one was found just up the street from the home. The keys had been left in both vehicles.

-- 9800 block of 77th Street Court on Sept. 27. The homeowner reported that a book bag and text books were stolen from an unlocked vehicle. Loss was estimated at $200.

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