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Burglars out in the middle of the snowstorm overnight were caught by police who followed a set of footprints that helped expose the thieves, officials say.

In a Facebook post, the City of Robbinsdale says an officer on patrol early Wednesday morning for parking enforcement spotted a fresh set of footprints in the road near a driveway on the 3700 block of Zenith Avenue North around 2 a.m.

As he continued on, the officer noticed snow had been wiped off car windows in the driveway and the footprints, which split into two separate sets, and worked their way into other driveways where more car windows had been cleared.

Officials say two more officers joined and continued to track the footprints. One officer found a snowblower in the middle of the road on 40th Avenue North near Zenith. Shortly after, at 42nd Avenue and Chowen Avenue, an officer sitting in a squad saw two men walk up a driveway and brush snow off the car window. The officer then turned on his floodlights and stopped the men.

Officers say they found the men were carrying backpacks loaded with tools, cell phone charges, a car stereo, and other items officers say were taken from vehicles.


"They will be having their turkey and cranberries served at the Hennepin County Detention Center," city officials write.

Police are asking anyone who had something stolen from them to call the Robbinsdale Police Department.