Charges: Man Breaks Into 6 Inver Grove Heights Homes, Lies In Beds
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A South St. Paul man is facing several trespassing and burglary charges after breaking into several homes in Inver Grove Heights earlier this month.
Tyler Raphael Rodriguez, 22, is facing two charges of burglary in the first-degree and four charges of trespassing.
According to the criminal complaint, Rodriguez trespassed into six homes in Inver Grove Heights between the house of 2:44 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on May 7.
Police responded to the first call at a house on Dickson Avenue around 2:44 a.m.
A caller told police a shirtless man in khaki-colored pants had broken into her home.
Upon arrival, police learned the woman had been sitting on the couch when she saw Rodriguez standing in the hallway outside of her bedroom. When Rodriguez saw her, he fled out of a back window.
Further investigation showed Rodriguez had taken a screen off of the woman's bedroom window and entered the home. Spots of blood were found on the woman's bed, which was near the window, and a shirt was outside. Police said the woman also reported a guitar missing.
According to the criminal complaint, the second call came around 3 a.m. from a home on Bryan Avenue.
Residents told police Rodriguez was found lying in bed with an 11-year-old girl and her 6-year-old sister that lived in the home.
When the 11-year-old got up to turn on the lights, Rodriguez got up and walked out of the room, through the kitchen and out the front door. Once again, a screen had been broken off a window.
Similar calls of breaking and entering came at 3:27 a.m., 3:51 a.m., 4:15 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. on River Road, Royal Avenue and Denton Way.
Each time Rodriguez attempted to enter a bedroom or lie in bed with someone, and each time he entered by breaking a screen off of a window.
According to the criminal complaint, police arrested Rodriguez later that day. After being arrested, Rodriguez denied entering any of the homes.
Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom says he has never seen a crime like this in his nearly 30 years on the job.
"This is just unbelievable behavior, you know, for someone to break into six homes within a span of, you know, an hour and 45 minutes in the middle of the night," Backstrom said.
He says Rodriguez was caught wandering on a nearby road without a shirt, revealing cuts and bruises. Rodriguez has denied any involvement in the crimes.
"The only good thing here is he didn't touch anyone or hurt anyone, because it could have been a lot worse," Backstrom said. "But nonetheless, the level of trauma, the level of fear that was created by this conduct is extreme."
If found guilty, each charge of burglary carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $35,000 fine or both, and each charge of trespassing carries a maximum of 90 days in jail, a $1,000 fine or both.
