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Thieves Breaking Into Homes Through The A/C Unit

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's a safety threat that could be sitting in your windows. Air conditioning units in ground floor windows are being pushed out to gain access to your home.

It's happening in the Kingfield neighborhood in south Minneapolis.

"All I care that I took to make it stable and safe, it never occurred to me that somebody would push it in," said Suzzane, the latest homeowner in the Kingfield neighborhood to be the target of burglars.

Suzzane, who didn't want her identity revealed, said she was home in her bedroom around 11 a.m. late last week when someone rang her doorbell about 20 times.

"I heard noise and it started to come in and I thought 'Why is my air conditioner suddenly falling in.' It didn't occur to me that somebody was pushing on it," said Suzzane. "Then I heard noise from the other side of my house in my dining room where I have another window air conditioner and I thought 'This is really strange.'"

Suzzane said she quickly realized someone was trying to get in.

When they couldn't dislodge the air conditioner from the window in the dining room, they went back to the bedroom unit.

"And completely pushed it is and it fell on the floor," she said.

Suzzane said she came face-to-face with the would-be intruder.

"I yelled at him and said 'What the hell are you doing?' He ran," she said.

Homes throughout the Kingfield neighborhood have been targeted.

"They're pushing in air conditioners on first floor windows. These air conditioning units aren't secured in any way so they can just be pushed in," said Minneapolis Police Sgt. Steve Bantle.

Police say there are ways to make sure your window unit does not spell opportunity for burglars.

"They should bolt it to the window frame and get the window pinned. And if they have questions about doing that you can get help at your local hardware store or appliance store," said Bantle.

Suzzane did not get a good look at the man who tried to get in her home. Police have made no arrests.

There is a very active neighborhood association in Kingfield. They are working with police to bring an end to these crimes of opportunity.

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