Charges: 2 men connected to several dozen home break-ins in Roseville and metro area

Two Minneapolis men are facing charges in connection with several dozen home burglaries in Roseville and the surrounding area this month.

Court documents show Aaron Matthew Million, 22, and Laurence John Charette, 26, were charged earlier this week with two counts of first-degree burglary. Million was also charged with an additional two counts of theft of a motor vehicle.

Officers investigated break-ins near Auerbach Avenue North on Aug. 6 and near Sextant Avenue West on Aug. 10 after burglars entered homes through attached garages. In both cases, police said garage door openers were taken from unlocked cars and used to get inside.

At the home near Auerbach Avenue North, police said wallets and keys to a Toyota Highlander were stolen while the homeowners were inside, according to the complaint. Surveillance video from Roseville thefts that day showed two people wearing headlamps, carrying flashlights and wearing light-colored hooded sweatshirts.

Police said Million was arrested in the stolen Highlander in Minneapolis around on Aug. 7. Court records say he was wearing a black tank top, which matched a photo provided to police by the Highlander’s owner on Aug. 6.

At the home near Sextant Avenue West, police said a dog woke a father and son who then found their garage had been entered and a Kia Forte had been stolen. In the complaint, investigators said the burglars also took a cell phone, $600 in cash, about $5000 in computer equipment and pried open a small safe.

Linking the cases

Court records say an iPad stolen from near Lovell Avenue West was tracked to Minneapolis on Aug. 10. Police then found the stolen Kia traveling with a stolen Ford Bronco Sport from St. Louis Park.

Officers later recovered the Bronco and found a headlamp, a Department of Corrections (DOC) identification card for Laurence John Charette and a probation officer’s business card, according to the complaint. Police said a probation officer then confirmed Charette was under supervision and provided his phone number.

Law enforcement says Million was driving the stolen Kia when officers stopped it in Minneapolis. During his arrest, Million was struck by a Hennepin County sheriff’s vehicle and later taken to Regions Hospital.

According to the complaint, Million had a backpack containing the Kia’s keys, a black face covering, work gloves, a black hooded sweatshirt, a window punch, a flashlight and a cell phone believed stolen from the Roseville burglary. Officers also recovered a Chevrolet key from the Kia that had been taken in the Sextant Avenue West burglary.

On the evening of Aug. 13, Charette was arrested while walking toward a stolen Subaru in the company of Million, according to the court document. Police said Charette had the Subaru’s ignition key plus property and identification cards belonging to a Roseville resident.

Court records say cell phone location data placed Charette near Auerbach Avenue North on Aug. 6 and near Sextant Avenue West on Aug. 10 around the times of the burglaries.

Charette has previous felony convictions for aggravated robbery in the first degree and motor vehicle theft. He was just released from the Minnesota Department of Corrections in late June.

Court records say Million has four prior felony convictions: two receiving stolen property involving motor vehicles, fleeing police in a motor vehicle and first-degree aggravated robbery.

Charette and Million are both due in court Sept. 3 for an omnibus hearing.
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