Pair Arrested in Thefts of Musical Instruments

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Authorities are holding two suspects in the thefts of about a dozen musical instruments worth thousands of dollars from three St. Paul colleges.

St. Paul police say the couple was arrested Friday in a traffic stop in Richfield. Investigators believe the pair stole a violin, a viola, a guitar, trumpets, saxophones and trombones from Macalester College, the University of St. Thomas and Hamline University in recent weeks.

 
Sgt. Paul Paulos says the thieves apparently entered the schools, found the music departments, walked out with any instruments they could lay their hands on and then headed to a pawn shop.

Paulos says the couple also is suspected in thefts at real-estate open houses in which they posed as potential homebuyers but left with valuables.