A break-in ended in a search for an at-large suspect in a University of Minnesota neighborhood last week, while on campus a student lost $500 in a student loan collection scam.
Burglaries, robberies and theft remained the largest contributors of recent near-campus crime. However, several accounts of identity theft were also reported this week.
Victorian house break-in
Police are still searching for a Marcy-Holmes tenant who, in a rage, threw a stove burner through a 120-year-old stained glass window in the historic Victorian house where he lives.
Police transported the tenant from the house, located on the corner of 10th and University avenues Southeast in Marcy-Holmes, to Hennepin County Medical Center late Wednesday night after his landlord reported, “He really acted out.”
“He was clearly out of control, breaking windows in his unit,” landlord Mary Beth Rahn said.
When the suspect was released the next morning, he returned to the house, kicked down his apartment door, threw the appliance and broke a separate bedroom window, according to a police report.
Other tenants witnessed the incident and called police, but the suspect was gone when they arrived.
The building houses 11 tenants, including students and one faculty member, Rahn said. The suspect was not a student.
“He had no furniture in his apartment,” she said. “He’s been verbally aggressive toward me before as well. … I gave him a month’s notice April 1.”
Police told Rahn they’re still looking for the suspect, who could face felony charges because of the amount of damage to the house.
Student loses $500 in scam
A University student mistakenly sent $500 to scammers Friday whom she believed to be part of a student loan collection agency, police said.
Scammers reportedly called the student, who lives in Pioneer Hall, and read off her student loan account and billing information to coax payment from her, University police Deputy Chief Chuck Miner said.
“They threatened that she would be arrested if she didn’t pay the loan,” Miner said.
The student bought a gift card worth $500 and sent an image of the card to an email provided by the scammers, he said.
“We’re aware of a few other scams like this involving student loans,” Miner said. “It’s most commonly done with international students … because they’re not as familiar with the laws or how these things work.”
