Twin Cities Man Charged For 2023 Rochester Business Burglary
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Olmsted County Attorney’s Office has charged a Twin Cities man for a Rochester business burglary that occurred almost one year ago.
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The charging document says the business’s cleaning crew discovered the burglary around 4:30 on the morning of April 3.
A manager told police they received a call from an alarm company around 1:30 that same morning but had assumed members of the cleaning crew accidentally triggered the alarm.
Rochester Police officers who responded to the burglary reported seeing the business's front window shattered. Police at the time believed nothing was stolen and damage from the burglary was estimated at over $1,00.
Twin Cities Man Charged for Rochester VFW Burglary
The criminal complaint identifies 29-year-old Tyler Nicolaus Paananen-Berneche of Roseville as one of three suspects captured on video breaking into the Rochester VFW on April 3.
The footage shows the suspects enter the business through the smashed door around the same time the manager received the security alarm call.
Two of the individuals are seen with sledgehammers and the third is carrying what appears to be a pickaxe, the complaint says.
The initial police report indicated an interior door that houses the business’s safe was damaged, however officers believe the alarm system may have scared off the suspected burglars because nothing was reported stolen.
The review of the security camera showed the suspects fleeing the VFW in a white sedan.
Rochester Police learned that same sedan was pulled over by the State Patrol for traveling at 95 mph in a 65mph zone on Hwy. 52 in Oronoco roughly 12 miles north of the business.
The charges say the traffic stop occurred just over 10 minutes after the alleged burglary and Paananen-Berneche identified himself as the driver to the state trooper.
The officer reviewed footage of the traffic stop and matched the individuals and vehicle in the traffic stop video with images taken from the VFW cameras, the charges say.
Paananen-Berneche’s probation officer also confirmed the man in the trooper’s footage, the court filing says. The two other suspects have not been named in the complaint.
Court records indicate Paananen-Berneche has a criminal history that dates back to 2012 and includes felony convictions for burglary and domestic violence related crimes.
Paananen-Berneche has been charged with third-degree burglary and first-degree property damage. He’s due to make his first court appearance next month.
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Gallery Credit: Samm Adams
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