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A trio of public safety stories involving West St. Paul are making the news:
Sunfish Lake Burglaries
West St. Paul Police are investigating a string of four burglaries in Sunfish Lake.
- Police Chief Brian Sturgeon characterized them as “professional burglars” due to extensive surveillance, entering homes through windows outside of the range of security cameras, and seeming to enter when alarms were not set.
- It’s possible these burglaries are connected to some 60 cases in the west metro and more nationally that seem to target professional athletes.
- The most recent case happened on Monday and before that Friday.
Billboard Protest
A West St. Paul man who camped out on a billboard in South St. Paul for weeks assaulted police and was charged last week.
- The man is identified as Matthew Jon Becker, 46, of West St. Paul and is charged with obstructing the legal process, first-degree property damage, and misdemeanor assault.
- He allegedly used a slingshot to fire small metal balls at workers trying to erect a fence and then police when they arrive on scene.
- South St. Paul Police have given updates on Facebook multiple times about the man, letting the community know they were aware of the situation.
Fatal Chase Update
Yesterday we reported on a police chase that ended in a fatal crash on Interstate 494. Today police gave more information:
- The driver was stopped on Robert Street at a green light and appeared to have passed out. When police came up behind them, they took off.
- The driver seemed to intentionally try to crash their vehicle multiple times.
- See our ongoing story for more updates.
Editor’s note: This story is based on police accounts available at the time, which may change and can inherently give a one-sided report of the incident.
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