Thieves are targeting boats in storage near Lake Minnetonka, stealing stereo equipment and other items as well as air bags out of cars, prompting Orono police to alert marinas and auto shops about the unusual crime spree Monday.
"It's been years since I've seen anything [like it]," Orono police Sgt. Scott Boris said. Referring to thieves stealing air bags and catalytic converters out of cars in storage, he added: "I'm not sure what the draw was."
No thefts have actually happened in Orono, but eight thefts of boats have been reported in other nearby cities.
Last Tuesday, the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department — which covers Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay — responded to a theft of amplifiers and speakers from two boats in Excelsior.
The next day, Wayzata police responded to a report of six boats broken into in Long Lake, with $3,700 worth of stereo equipment stolen.
KELLY SMITH
