Police Looking To ID Laundry Room Burglar

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minneapolis Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man who is responsible for at least two recent burglaries in apartment building laundry rooms.

Authorities said the incidents, which include burglary and damage to property, happened on Nov. 1 and Dec. 2. The Nov. 1 incident happened on the 3000 block of Pleasant Avenue South. The second incident happened on the 4300 block of Grand Avenue.

In the incidents, the man appears to break into the apartment buildings, enter the laundry room area and pry open the coin box on the washing machine. It's not clear how much money the suspect was able to steal from the washing machine. The suspect also cut several water lines before leaving the area, and as a result the basement in the building flooded. Both incidents happened between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., police said.

Police describe the suspect as a black male about 30 to 40 years old, 5 feet, 9 inches to 6 feet tall with a medium build. The man had hair that was in long braids and in a ponytail. Police said the man was unshaven and wore glasses during the incidents.

Anyone with information about the burglaries or who can identify the suspect is asked to call Minneapolis Police.