Police in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina say a traffic stop for texting while driving led to the arrest of a serial burglar who often targeted the Twin Cities metro area.
According to a city news release last Friday, David Petrashov, a 26-year-old from Maple Grove, was found guilty of first- and second-degree burglary, second-degree drug possession, and possession of a firearm as a convicted felon.
Pleading guilty to the charges as part of a plea bargain, Petrashov was sentenced to 95 months in prison. Offenders in Minnesota are only required to serve two-thirds of their sentence behind bars.
Police have connected Petrashov to 28 burglaries in Minneapolis and its suburbs, such as Edina, Bloomington, and Minnetonka, among many others.
Months of investigation into the burglaries preceded Petrashov’s arrest, which only occurred after an Edina police officer conducted a “minor traffic stop for texting and driving” that gave officers a lead. The traffic stop also led to the recovery of stolen items from some of the burglaries.
Crime Watch Minneapolis reported last year that Petrashov racked up 15 felony convictions between 2015 and 2021.
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No idea why we’re plea bargaining with chronic, career offenders… Here’s your signšPetrashov had 15 felony convictions BEFORE he got tossed this plea deal for OVER 28 BURGLARIES + felon in possession + drugs.
Lock his ass up for life. Throw away the key.
ā CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) December 13, 2022
With Petrashov behind bars, Detective Joel Moore of the Edina Police Department is now encouraging residents to invest in home surveillance cameras if possible.
“With how inexpensive this technology is now, I would recommend all homeowners buy a home surveillance system,” he said in a statement. “Homeowners can get a motion-activated alert to their cellular phone. Not only can this deter some burglars, but it might give homeowners some peace of mind while they are away from their residence.”
Evan Stambaugh
Evan Stambaugh is a freelance writer who had previously been a sports blogger. He has a BA in theology and an MA in philosophy.
