A Minneapolis man with a lengthy criminal history including well over a dozen felony convictions is facing new charges from a day-long crime spree that included throwing a dog from the vehicle he is accused of stealing last week, according to the new criminal complaints.
Leeroy Duane Woodbeck, 40, is facing seven new charges – including six felonies – in two cases filed last week in Anoka County.
In one case, a woman who had left her dog inside her locked, running vehicle outside a pet supply store located off 53rd Avenue Northeast and Central Avenue Northeast in Fridley on Tuesday exited the store just after 2 p.m. to find her vehicle gone. The woman saw her vehicle driving down the road and watched as the driver threw her dog out of the vehicle and into the roadway while traffic was driving by, the complaint said.
The woman borrowed a bystander’s phone to call police because her phone was still in the vehicle that had been stolen. She was able to track her phone’s location and gave the information to police who attempted to stop the vehicle, but it fled at a high rate of speed even going through residential yards, so officers ended the pursuit, the complaint said.
Meanwhile, another call was reported to 911 about vehicle that had entered the parking garage of a business and that a male was trying to break into other vehicles at the business. Officers arrived and located the suspect hiding in a parked vehicle, and he was subsequently identified as Woodbeck.
During a search of Woodbeck, officers found a teargas container and a baggie weighing 5.5 grams containing a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. According to the complaint, Woodbeck is prohibited from possessing teargas compounds due to a prior felony narcotics conviction.
A supervisor at the business where Woodbeck was found later told officers that he had damaged part of the structure after entering the garage causing about $1,400 in damage, and that Woodbeck had used wood planks to barricade the garage door shut.
Woodbeck has been charged in that case with five counts including four felony charges of theft of motor vehicle, unlawful possession of teargas by a prohibited person, fifth-degree possession of a controlled substance and fleeing police in a motor vehicle, and one misdemeanor count of mistreating an animal involving cruelty.
Details in a second Anoka County case filed the same day last week against Woodbeck accuse him of a smash-and-grab style burglary at a Blaine business in the early morning hours the same day. The complaint states that early that Tuesday, Sept. 10, just after 1 a.m., officers responded to a report of a pick-up truck that had backed through the front doors of a gas and convenience store on the 8500 block of Lexington Avenue Northeast. A witness reported that they heard loud crashing and then saw a male walk out of the store with something in his hands.
The complaint states that security video provided to law enforcement by the Blaine business showed a bald male with no shirt and wearing jeans back the truck into building numerous times. The male was able to gain entry and walked into the store. The video revealed that the male had a large upper back tattoo that said “WOOD.” The male then stole approximately three packs of cigarettes and a rack of butane lighters and refills and then ran back into the truck and drove off. Officers later located the vehicle unoccupied and checked registration records that showed it belonging to Woodbeck. The vehicle also contained documents with Woodbeck’s name on them.
Woodbeck has been charged in that case with one count of felony third-degree burglary and one count of felony criminal damage to property.
Woodbeck has a lengthy criminal case history in Minnesota with nearly 70 criminal cases which include at least 15 felony convictions since 2003 and ten of those felony convictions since 2011. Woodbeck’s felony convictions include burglary, theft, check forgery, financial card fraud, receiving stolen property, theft of motor vehicle, robbery and narcotics. Woodbeck also has other convictions for domestic assault, DWI and damage to property.
On his most recent conviction for felony burglary and felony narcotics in Chisago County in May 2019, Woodbeck received stayed sentences on both counts, meaning the felony sentences of 39 months and 28 month, respectively, were not imposed. Alternatively, Woodbeck was given credit for time already served in jail and placed on probation by Judge Suzanne Bollman, despite his lengthy criminal history and the fact that his is also currently on probation until 2021 for a 2016 felony narcotics conviction.
Woodbeck, who listed a Minneapolis address on the 3900 block of 36th Avenue South at the time of booking, is currently in custody at Anoka County Jail on $30,000 bail and is scheduled to make his next court appearances on both new cases on Oct. 8.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information offers citizen-powered news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
