HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 01-05 One Suspect held in violent Maplewood senior home invasion PIONEER PRESS1/7/2016 1 suspect held in violent Maplewood senior home invasion - TwinCities.com
By
1
POSTED: 01/05/2016 12:01 :00 AM CST I UPDATED: A DAY AGO
Maplewood's police chief led with the good news during a
packed community meeting at Carefree Cottages, a
retirement community that hasn't lived up to its name this
week.
"We've made an arrest," said Paul Schnell, earning a round
of applause in the wake of the most violent home invasion in
the community's 23 year history. On Saturday in broad
daylight, a 75 -year-old woman was choked into
unconsciousness and her residence burglarized.
IDeairn 're Vershnannrirn Whims (Courtesy of IRairrnseyCount)
Deandre Vershawn Wims, 25, of North St. Paul was arrested
in the early morning hours Tuesday after a description of the suspects was broadcast on multiple media
outlets.
Schnell said Wims had used a credit card stolen from the woman, and police were still looking for two more
suspects -- a man and a woman -- who took part in the armed burglary.
"This is exceedingly and extremely rare," Schnell said, referring to the level of violence used during the
burglary in a community where most calls are purely medical in nature.
The victim in the case was confronted at her door by a woman armed with a handgun, who then made a
phone call from inside the home, summoning two men.
One of the men used a piece of clothing to choke the woman until she blacked out. She later regained
consciousness, went to a neighbor and called police.
The woman was treated and released from a local hospital and was staying with family, Schnell said. She
did not attend the community meeting.
Schnell confirmed that the burglary was related to another one in the retirement community that happened
Dec. 27, noting that credit cards from both burglaries had been used at the same location.
In that case, resident Annette Sova -Peterson, 85, said she was out of state on vacation when she got a call
from her credit card company, noting some strange charges.
Sova -Peterson said she came home to find her bedroom ransacked and her checkbook, jewelry and credit
cards missing. The front door was open, with no signs of forced entry, and Sova -Peterson's neighbor said
1/7/2016 1 suspect held in violent Maplewood senior home invasion - TwinCities.com
she hadn't heard anything in the night. The two surmised the burglary happened during the day, when the
neighbor was at church.
Still, Sova -Peterson said she feels safe after the incident: "I'm in God's hands; I can't worry about it. It was
only things. And I really like it here."
The burglary wasn't reported until Saturday, when Sova -Peterson returned home -- the same day the
second burglary took place.
Carefree Cottages co-owner Bruce Mogren said an incident this violent had never happened at the complex,
which was founded in 1993•
Most burglaries occur during the day because residents typically aren't home -- but that's not the case in
retirement communities.
"It just doesn't make sense here," Mogren said.
Rose Newpower, who has lived in the complex for nearly 20 years, said she also couldn't remember anything
like the assault happening at Carefree Cottages.
"I'm overwhelmed. I always felt safe. This is quite a shock," said Newpower, who said she's satisfied with
Schnell's response to the incident. "People here have been very supportive."
Schnell encouraged residents to call 911 if they see anything suspicious, even if they think it might be
nothing. He said police would step up patrols in the area "for awhile," and also parked a mobile surveillance
camera in front of the complex to make residents feel safe.
"The reality is it is highly unlikely these people would ever come back here," Schnell added, noting the level
of media exposure the case had attracted. He noted that over the past year, there had been one other
burglary at the complex, in June, when a resident reported items missing from his garage, which had been
left open.
Schnell does not believe that case to be related to the most recent ones, in which suspects targeted credit
cards and jewelry.
Wims was booked into the Ramsey County Jail on suspicion of felony credit card fraud; Schnell stressed
that police have yet to confirm that he was one of the two men who took part in the burglary.
Still, Schnell released the descriptions of only two additional suspects, including:
-- A black woman in her los, 5 feet 2 to 5 feet 8 and 120 to 140 pounds, with a thin build, wearing "colorful
tight pants," a jacket and winter hat.
-- A black man in his los, 5 feet 6 to 6 feet tall, heavy -set, with short hair and wearing all dark clothing and
no hat.
Anyone with information about the suspects should call the police tip line at 651-767-o640.
Tad Vezner can be reached at 651-228-5461 or follow him on Twitter @SPnoir.
http://www.twi nciti es.com/cri m e/ci_29346810/1-suspect-hel d -violent -m aplewood-senior-home-invasion 2/2