Recent Burglary/Theft Activity

Recently, the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) has observed an increase in the number of burglaries/attempted burglaries and attempted thefts in the community.

The  SLMPD urges you to take some basic precautions to reduce your chances of becoming a victim.

ALWAYS lock your doors, even while you are at home. Service doors into garages as well as doors between attached garages and the interior of the house are often overlooked by homeowners and left unsecured.  Overhead garage doors should be kept closed, whether or not you are home.

Leave a few exterior lights on after dark. Consider installing motion detector lights. They are very effective and relatively inexpensive. 

Before leaving for vacation, contact the SLMPD at (952) 474-3261 and ask to be placed on the vacation house check list. Officers will check the exterior of your home periodically and randomly during your absence. Put mail and newspaper deliveries on hold before leaving. Mail delivery can be placed on hold via the Internet at www.usps.com. Click on "Hold Mail" and you'll be taken to a secure site for entering your information. You can also pick up a "Hold Mail" card at any post office branch. 

Lock your vehicles, even in your driveway or inside your garage. Do not leave valuables inside your vehicle.

Get to know your neighbors. Residents who know each other, keep an eye on each others’ homes, and report suspicious activity to police are great crime deterrents.  

If you observe suspicious activity in your neighborhood, report it to the SLMPD immediately by calling 911.

Mail Thefts in South Lake Area

Recently, the South Lake Minnetonka Police Department (SLMPD) has taken several reports of thefts from mailboxes. Thefts have been reported in many nearby communities as well. Mail theft nearly always leads to identity theft, which is currently the fastest growing crime in the Minnesota, as well as in the United States.

 The SLMPD urges you to take some basic precautions to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:

ALWAYS put outgoing mail into an official United States Postal Service (USPS) collection box. They are harder to break into, and in a more public setting.

AVOID putting outgoing mail into your own personal mailbox. Mail placed in a personal mailbox is unsecured. If you must put outgoing mail in your box, don't raise the flag; postal personnel will still pick it up, but you won't be advertising that it is there. The red flag is the perfect signal to a mail thief that there is outgoing mail (and probably checks that can be altered) in the mailbox.

 Pick up your delivered mail as soon as possible from your personal mailbox. Never let it overflow.

 Before leaving for vacation, place your mail on hold. This can be done on the Internet by going to www.usps.com. Click on "Hold Mail" and you'll be taken to a secure site for entering your information. You can also pick up a "Hold Mail" card at any post office branch.

Consider electronic banking and direct deposits to minimize the amount of financial data coming into and going out from your mail box. When you order new checks, consider picking them up at the bank rather than having them mailed to your home.

ALWAYS shred all mail going into your garbage that contains your name, address, account numbers, or other vital information. Shredders are available inexpensively at office supply stores or discount department stores.

If you observe suspicious activity in your neighborhood, report it to the SLMPD immediately by calling 911.

Identity Theft

While there are no guarantees about avoiding identity theft, The South Lake Minnetonka Police Department and the Federal Trade Commission recommend that you:

• Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your personal information.
• Detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements.
• Defend against identity theft as soon as you suspect a problem.

Awareness is among the most powerful tools in the fight against identity theft. And that's where you play an important role. The more you know how to protect your identity and what to do if a problem occurs, the harder it is for identity thieves to commit their crimes.

Get comprehensive information on identity theft from resources available online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft  or by phone at 1-877-ID-THEFT.

Solicitor Regulations

Solicitors must abide by the following city ordinances:

Excelsior: Permits are required for all solicitors except newspaper delivery, farm and garden products, or milk, ice, or baked goods vendors with regular routes in the city.

Greenwood: Permits are required for all solicitors except newspaper delivery, farm and garden products, charitable, political, or religious organizations, or milk or general food delivery with regular routes in the city.

Shorewood: Permits are required for all solicitors, NO EXCEPTIONS.

Tonka Bay: Persons cannot solicit upon or along any public streets or on any public land, or at any home with a placard posted stating "Peddlers and Canvassers Prohibited". No person shall conduct his business so as to annoy other persons or to become a nuisance or so as to obstruct travel upon any street, alley, or public place within the city.

Although many solicitors are legitimate, some neighborhood crime is associated with certain transient groups soliciting door-to-door. Homeowners are urged to be cautious. Ask to see their permit. If they cannot produce a permit, are overly aggressive with selling tactics, or you just feel that they are suspicious, notify the SLMPD immediately by dialing 911. Remember, you are not obligated to answer the door if you are not comfortable with who is there.