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Suspect To Police: Burglaries Are 'Easy'

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 52-year-old man faces charges after admitting he was planning on burglarizing several businesses in the area and allegedly telling police it was easy.

Ronald Richard Gage, of Minneapolis, has been charged with possession of burglary tools, giving false information to police and possession of drug paraphernalia for an incident last Friday.

According to a criminal complaint, Burnsville Police spotted Gage around 6 a.m. Friday near County Road 42, after working extra patrol in an effort to curb recent burglaries in the area.

Police say they noticed Gage, who was wearing black gloves and a black knit hat, looking into closed businesses. Officials say the black gloves and black hat were consistent with those worn by a burglar appearing in several surveillance videos from businesses that experienced a recent break-in.

Officers approached Gage, who said his name was John Johnson and he was from California. Police determined that a "John Johnson from California" did not exist. Gage admitted to lying about his identity and gave police his actual name and birth date. Police discovered Gage had an existing felony warrant and he was arrested.

Police found a window punch, Phillips-head screw driver, wise-grip pliers, a small flash light and a small pry-bar on Gage. They also found a glass pipe with a dark, brown substance (later determined to be marijuana residue) and a silver pry bar inside Gage's vehicle.

According to a criminal complaint, Gage admitted to police that he was planning to burglarize several businesses in the area with the tools in his possession. He also told officers it was easy and that all he had to do was "spin" the locks on the doors and open the registers.

Gage allegedly told police he had a friend from prison who taught him everything he needed to know and that it was simple to get away with it.

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