MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — It’s the season for holiday shopping and — apparently for some — snowblower stealing. It’s a crime Minneapolis police say they see all too much of this time of year.
There have been at least four snowblower thefts in south Minneapolis in the last couple of weeks. The thieves are stealing some of the snowblowers right out of people’s garages.
Don Landin’s south Minneapolis garage was a target.
“This was convenient for them to grab,” he said.
Last weekend, thieves visited his detached garage. They took Landin’s snowblower inside, as well as a gokart and chainsaw.
“I was sad to see (the gokart) go, and I was pretty angry for a while, too,” said Landin’s son, Nathaniel, who was fixing it up with his dad.
The family thinks that thieves saw them working on it.
“So, while here for the gokart, they took the chainsaw and they took the snowblower as well,” Landin said.
Police say besides using strong locks on garage doors, and taking door openers with you when you leave your car, you should paint some part of your snowblower a bright color to make identification quicker and easier. Also, police say to keep detailed records of the snowblower and take pictures of it.
Use a padlock in the garage door track as an additional lock to keep burglars from opening the door if they get inside.
Secure any side doors with a heavy duty deadbolt lock and strike plate. And, use your vehicle to block the snowblower inside the garage, so thieves can’t get away with it.
