While 81-year-old Bjorn Johnson and his wife Jean were in Oregon visiting relatives Nov. 28, an unknown person burglarized their residence at 1020 7th St. S.E.
Lori Johnson, the couple’s daughter-in-law, said a neighbor noticed lights on and doors open during the Johnsons’ absence.
Lori Johnson said the neighbor, her husband and daughter then went into the home, discovering the theft.
“There really wasn’t a lot for them to steal. They don’t have a lot of fancy things to walk away with,” she said. “It probably wasn’t one of the better houses to rob around there, but it was available.”
Police reports state that while inside, the suspect or suspects ransacked and rummaged through closets, drawers and file cabinets on both floors of the house and the basement.
Included in the theft was a VCR, a compact disc player, a cassette player and $350 cash.
In addition to the more than $700 in cash and property lost in the burglary, Bjorn said damage to the back door, which the burglars appeared to pry open with a crowbar, could cost as much as $400 to repair.
Bjorn and Jean have lived in the southeast district of Minneapolis since 1927, and at no time has their home been a victim of a burglary until now.
“I get disgusted with it,” Johnson said. “If I was home, I don’t know what I would’ve done with (the suspect).”
Despite never becoming the victim of a burglary, Johnson said he and his neighbors are becoming increasingly frustrated with the level of property damage crimes in the community lately.
He said a neighbor’s fence has been damaged three or four times recently, another neighbor’s flagpole was taken down, and a window was broken in his car while it was parked outside of his house.
“This is no good you know,” Johnson said. “When the neighbors all get together here, if they catch somebody, I think they’ll probably crucify them.”
In other police news:
ù A 1987 Buick LeSabre was reported stolen Nov. 29 from the 11th Avenue Southeast residence of Matthew Vangenderen.
Minneapolis police found glass in the snow where the car had been parked. The car was taken between 6:30 and 9 p.m.
Police have no suspects at this time.
Justin Costley covers police and courts and welcomes comments at [email protected]. He can also be reached at (612)627-4070 x3224