A former Duluth News Tribune carrier accused of using his knowledge of when homeowners were on vacation to burglarize their homes is in more legal trouble.
Michael Dean Peters, 44, of Duluth was charged with four felony burglary counts on May 3 in St. Louis County District Court in Duluth.
The number of counts has increased to nine felony counts, with one of five additional burglaries Peters is accused of committing on May 11, while he was on supervised release.
Peters is being held at the St. Louis County Jail on $30,000 bail. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 8.
According to the original criminal complaint, police officers investigating a string of burglaries in the Woodland neighborhood noted that the majority of the burglaries occurred while residents were on vacation or otherwise away for an extended time.
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"It was determined that the burglary suspect might have been aided with knowledge that the residents were out of town," the complaint said.
Working under that theory, investigators contacted the News Tribune, which identified Peters as the carrier covering the area where the burglaries were happening. A search of Peters' home in late April found jewelry, silver wine glasses, silver candlesticks and computers.
"The Defendant admitted that he suffers from a gambling addiction," the criminal complaint said. "He confessed that he committed the burglaries at residences where he believed the occupants were away. The Defendant stated he did not want to take the risk of burglarizing an occupied dwelling. The Defendant admitted that he was after jewelry and silverware."
Peters "confessed to committing at least seven burglaries," the complaint said. He was charged with committing four burglaries that police were able to corroborate before the complaint was written. In early May, St. Louis County Attorney Mark Rubin said that more charges were anticipated.
Duluth police officers arrested Peters a second time May 13 after establishing probable cause that he had committed five additional burglaries, including one while he was on supervised release.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
