Garage Burglary ALERT!

Due to an increase of garage burglaries and thefts, Saint Paul police are asking all residents to keep all doors and windows to garages LOCKED at all times.

Report any activity that is unusual or suspicious in your neighborhood by calling 9-1-1 at any time, day or night, to report a possible crime in progress.

Please provide a description of person(s) and vehicle make, model, color and license plate numbers.

Consider the following suggestions:

• Install deadbolts and fortify door frames on all service doors to garages.
• Install a layer of plexiglass or metal mesh over glass windows, especially door windows.
• Install motion detector lights on all sides of garage with windows.
• Take everything out of your vehicle in the garage.
• Lock your vehicle when parked in your garage.
• Record all model and serial numbers of possessions.
• Change the code of the garage door opener, if possible.
• Lock overhead doors from inside and exit service door.
• Call our Community Services Unit to request a free home premise survey at 651-266-5485.

If you park outside, remember that according to city ordinance, Section 157.07, it is against the law to leave your vehicle running unattended to "warm up". Vehicles must be turned off, ignition locked, and keys removed when unattended. The best theft deterrent option to consider using is a remote car starter. The engine will stall if someone tries to take the vehicle without using a key...

District 1 Office Hit by Burglars

Overnight on October 15, the Conway Rec Center and the District 1 office were hit by burglars. The thieves broke into offices at the Center and took computer equipment. The Community Council office was hit the worst with the loss of both our computers, our external hard drive and our wireless base station. Our printer/copier/fax machine was smashed and one phone was destroyed. A desk had some damage, too.

These are some of the basic tools that we need to do our work. We have limited staff, and even more limited resources. We had received a Bremer Foundation Capacity Building grant to purchase this equipment so that we could run more efficiently and work more effectively to provide service to our neighborhoods. This is definitely a setback for the organization.

The loss of the equipment was bad enough, but it was the information - the work - on the computers that is the real setback for us. Although our financial records were not included, everything else we did was on those computers -- and on the back-up system that was also taken... Our database of contacts was on the computer. That information was directory-type information, nothing that was personally sensitive, but we used it to keep track of issues that concerned folks, and how we could get in touch with people. We used it to mail out our fundraising letter, which should be underway now -- that effort is on hold until we can reconstruct the database. But postponing the fundraising puts our budget at risk for next year.

In all this bad news, there has been some good news, however. The support we've had from other district councils, from our members - your neighbors, from the city, and from other nonprofits has been deeply appreciated. Our insurance will cover replacement costs, so within a month we should have the equipment we need. Then it will be a matter of re-doing the work we have been involved in over the past year and a half...

Bear with us as we rebuild. Although these are tough economic times, if you can make a donation to the Council, please do so now, instead of waiting until we can get a formal request sent out. We've done good work in the past year. Let's not lose ground in that regard. Thanks for your support!