Formal charges have been referred to the Scott County Attorney’s Office for review in connection with the series of burglaries and thefts that occurred in the Huntington Estates and Rolling Meadows neighborhoods.

Capt. Dave Muelken said a search warrant was issued on a home in the 14000 block of Alabama Avenue. Criminal charges of tampering with a motor vehicle, theft, possession of stolen property and burglary are pending against a 15-year-old girl, a 19-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man – all from Savage. In the case of the adults, charges of credit card fraud are also pending, he said.

Muelken said there are at least 20 thefts from vehicles and burglaries in this case. Burglary charges are also pending because some of the cars were entered when they were parked in open garages that were attached to homes, he said.

Police are trying to deter thefts with bait cars that are monitored by detectives and have purses and other items left in plain sight, Muelken said. The first night the bait vehicles were set up, it only took 10 minutes before someone approached the vehicle.

Muelken said police are putting the bait vehicles in neighborhoods that are experiencing the most theft activity. “So far it has been a deterrent,” he said. “We will continue to use the bait vehicles, but it is an expense to pay the overtime wages to officers doing the undercover work.”

Police want residents to call 911 if they see suspicious activity, Muelken said.

Last week, there was a case of a group of citizens that detained a car prowler, but that can be a dangerous situation, Muelken warned.

 -- Shawn Hogendorf