St. Paul's DNR Office Takes Steps to Boost Security Amid Rise in Break-Ins Near Homeless Encampment
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Region 3 headquarters in St. Paul has ramped up security measures after a recent surge in break-ins, thefts, and vandalism at the site. The increased incidents have coincided with the growth of an encampment near Pig's Eye Park, where the office is located.
According to Casey Rodriguez, communications manager for the Department of Safety and Inspections, the population at the Pig's Eye Park encampment has swelled from around 14 people in January to approximately 90 residents. The site was initially discovered by the DNR in September 2023, and despite efforts to clear the area, the population continues to grow.
The Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART), which works with local authorities to provide support services to individuals living in encampments, has reported a growing need for housing assistance. Sydney Kamps, an employee at HART, stated that "housing is a really big issue right now" and that the team's focus is on helping people in encampments.
However, the increased presence of homeless individuals near the DNR office has led to a rise in break-ins and vandalism. The most recent incident involved a 30-year-old man who was charged with burglary after being caught stealing equipment from a garage at the office. According to court records, the suspect admitted to taking items without permission due to his housing situation.
The DNR headquarters has documented over 10 recent break-ins in fenced areas and storage buildings, resulting in an estimated $62,780 in stolen items and $30,000 in damage. The most expensive items taken were fishery research equipment valued between $3,000 and $15,000.
To combat the rise in incidents, the DNR office has increased security measures, including installing more cameras and increasing patrols. While visitors are still required to contact the office before entering, officials have indicated that they will revisit their visitor entrance policies in the future.
The headquarters manages various programs, including fisheries, hatchery operations, wildlife, and forests, as well as maintaining state trails and public water access. The increased security measures aim to protect both the DNR employees and resources while also addressing the underlying issues driving the rise in incidents near the homeless encampment.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Region 3 headquarters in St. Paul has ramped up security measures after a recent surge in break-ins, thefts, and vandalism at the site. The increased incidents have coincided with the growth of an encampment near Pig's Eye Park, where the office is located.
According to Casey Rodriguez, communications manager for the Department of Safety and Inspections, the population at the Pig's Eye Park encampment has swelled from around 14 people in January to approximately 90 residents. The site was initially discovered by the DNR in September 2023, and despite efforts to clear the area, the population continues to grow.
The Homeless Assistance Response Team (HART), which works with local authorities to provide support services to individuals living in encampments, has reported a growing need for housing assistance. Sydney Kamps, an employee at HART, stated that "housing is a really big issue right now" and that the team's focus is on helping people in encampments.
However, the increased presence of homeless individuals near the DNR office has led to a rise in break-ins and vandalism. The most recent incident involved a 30-year-old man who was charged with burglary after being caught stealing equipment from a garage at the office. According to court records, the suspect admitted to taking items without permission due to his housing situation.
The DNR headquarters has documented over 10 recent break-ins in fenced areas and storage buildings, resulting in an estimated $62,780 in stolen items and $30,000 in damage. The most expensive items taken were fishery research equipment valued between $3,000 and $15,000.
To combat the rise in incidents, the DNR office has increased security measures, including installing more cameras and increasing patrols. While visitors are still required to contact the office before entering, officials have indicated that they will revisit their visitor entrance policies in the future.
The headquarters manages various programs, including fisheries, hatchery operations, wildlife, and forests, as well as maintaining state trails and public water access. The increased security measures aim to protect both the DNR employees and resources while also addressing the underlying issues driving the rise in incidents near the homeless encampment.
The DNR office is like a fishbowl, just waiting for some sneaky burglar to come along and scoop up all that sweet research equipment 
. I feel bad for the guys who have to deal with this stuff, though - 10 break-ins in one spot? That's like trying to find a needle in a haystack... or in this case, a fish in a bucket 
. And honestly, who knew that homelessness would be the biggest threat to the DNR office security? I guess you could say they're reeling from the situation 
i mean like st paul's dnr office getting broke into like whoa 
but seriously what's going on with all these ppl living in encampments nearby? 
it's not like they're asking for help or anything, but apparently there's a huge need for housing assistance...idk how this is gonna get solved tho. i just hope the dnr can find a way to secure their stuff without affecting their actual work 
the DNR office needs more than just cameras and patrols they need some actual solutions for the homelessness crisis, you feel me? its not just about securing their stuff, its about supporting people who are struggling to find a place to call home. i mean 90 residents at Pig's Eye Park is insane that's like, 90 people who need help and we're throwing them out here with no resources 
. But at the same time, it's not like they can just kick everyone out and expect everything to go back to normal 
. They need to find a way to balance keeping their resources safe while also helping these people get back on their feet 
. Maybe they could look into partnering with organizations that offer housing assistance and job training programs? That would be a great starting point 
.
Can someone please get some stats on how many of those "90" residents are actually being helped by HART? I want to see some numbers, not just words. And what about the suspect who got caught stealing stuff because of his housing situation? That sounds like an excuse to me... did he have a job or was he just living off the grid? We need more info on that guy's background before we start sympathizing with him. 
but at the same time i get why the DNR office needs to step up their security measures to protect themselves and their resources 
maybe they can also look into partnerships with local organizations that provide support services to homeless individuals? 
is it just a coincidence that the break-ins are happening around the same time the shelter started growing? and why is no one addressing the root cause? 
. It's like they have nowhere to go and no one is listening.
. And I also think the DNR could be more flexible with their visitor policies, maybe just leave the gate open a little bit more or something 
. Can't we find a way to address the root issues here? Like, how many affordable housing units can we build per year? What's the budget looking like? Let's get some real answers instead of just treating symptoms 
and it sounds like the cops got one guy who took some equipment and he said it was cuz of his housing situation... so does that mean we should be giving him a break?