By Shawn Hogendorf, Correspondent 

A 27-year-old Burnsville man – who is suspected of committing more than 50 burglaries in Savage and Burnsville – was arrested Friday (July 3) after police assisted the Burnsville Police Department with a burglary call at Data Sales, 4450 Burnsville Parkway.

Police responded to a call to assist police in Burnsville at about 3:19 a.m. on July 3, according to Capt. Dave Muelken. While on the scene investigating the burglary, Savage Police Officer George Luskey heard the sound of a window breaking at a nearby business.

As the officers wrapped up the investigation of the initial burglary call, officers began searching the area and found evidence of a second burglary, Muelken said. At that time, Sgt. Terry Bebeau observed a man running from a building.

After a short foot pursuit, the Burnsville man was arrested and identified, Muelken said. Two other nearby businesses in Burnsville were also burglarized prior to the man’s arrest.

The man is suspected of committing more than 50 burglaries in Burnsville and Savage, Muelken said.

Detectives with both the Savage and Burnsville police departments obtained search warrants and searched a Burnsville home where evidence was seized – linking the man to many of the other burglaries.

The man is currently is custody at the Dakota County Jail pending probable cause criminal charges of third-degree burglary in relation to the July 3 burglary call.

Charges in this case were expected to be brought against the man by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office Tuesday, July 7, the same day the man was set to appear in a jury trial in Dakota County for two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of theft for a case that occurred in June of 2008.

The man also faces a jury trial for similar offenses that allegedly occurred in August of 2008.

In lieu of the jury trial, an extension for bringing the most recent burglary charges was filed by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office on Tuesday.

Additional charges are expected in the future, according to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office.

Due to the thoroughness of the investigations unit, and the physical evidence collected at each crime scene by the crime scene unit, the man will be linked to many of the 17 reported burglaries in Savage, Muelken said.

 Shawn Hogendorf can be reached at shogendorf@swpub.com.