Eden Prairie break-in not random, police say

Last update: October 15, 2008 - 11:01 AM

Three men dressed in black broke into a townhouse in northeast Eden Prairie early Sunday morning and tied up two women in the home before ransacking it, police said.

"This break-in was not a random act," said police Sgt. Bob Olson. No arrests had been made as of Monday.

"At this point in the investigation we believe that this was an isolated incident and that the victims themselves were not the target of the break-in," Olson said.

The victims were two women in their 30s whom police have not named. One was a guest and was asleep shortly after 1:30 a.m. Sunday when the three men, with faces covered, forced their way into the residence on the 6400 block of Regency Lane, police said.

The other woman, who owns the townhouse, returned home as the burglary was in progress.

"It is believed that the intruders did not anticipate anyone being at home,'' Olson said.

The victims told police they were bound by the intruders and had to work for several hours to free themselves before calling police about 10 a.m. Sunday, Olson said.

Neither victim was seriously injured and neither required medical attention, he said.

The victims reported that the burglars ransacked the residence and stole some small electronic items.

Police are encouraging anyone with information about the burglary to call the department.

"This type of incident is not common in Eden Prairie," Olson said.

LAURIE BLAKE

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