Duluth man charged with multiple business break-ins

A Duluth man is accused of a string of business burglaries over the past several months, many of which were allegedly committed while he was out of custody on pretrial release.

Kyle Michael Carl, 25, faces seven felony burglary-related charges in three separate cases.

Carl's most recent arrest came Wednesday in connection with a September break-in at Duluth Cider in Lincoln Park. He was already accused of burglaries at the Woodland Car Wash in May and three downtown businesses — Carmody's Irish Pub, the Fitment Group and U.S. Bank — in June and July.

Duluth police called it a "significant arrest" and said they are continuing to investigate other potentially related burglaries. The Lincoln Park Business District has experienced multiple break-ins over the past month, police said.

"Although (Carl) does not have a criminal history prior to these offenses, defendant now finds himself facing multiple felony charges, and the potential of a commitment to the Commissioner of Corrections," St. Louis County prosecutor Korey Horn told the court. "If defendant is released, it is believed it will only be a matter of time before he will return to the court again on new charges."

Sixth Judicial District Judge Shaun Floerke on Friday set Carl's bail at $50,000 but granted him a referral to intensive pretrial release.

The allegations date back to May 18, when Carl allegedly entered the Woodland Car Wash, 10 W. Austin St., and attempted to gain access to coin machines at the business. Officers said they found a suspect forced entry through a door and appeared to have pried into the backside of the machines. Also located at the scene were a screwdriver and ice pick.

Carl and another man were found at approximately 3:51 a.m. when a burglary-in-progress was reported at the nearby Zen House, according to a complaint in that case. Police identified Carl as the alleged perpetrator based on surveillance video from the car wash, and found several additional tools in a backpack he was carrying, the complaint said.

On June 18, police were dispatched to a burglary at Carmody's Irish Pub, 308 E. Superior St., where approximately $300-400 in cash was missing. Police used video to identify Carl entering a back door off Michigan Street, according to a complaint. Police said several prior burglaries had also been reported at the bar.

On July 15, law enforcement was called to the Fitment Group, 208 E. Superior St., where four laptops and two iPads were reported missing. Surveillance video allegedly showed Carl entering the business at approximately 10:45 p.m. the night before, concealing his face with a red mask. The suspect appeared to have pried open the front door and numerous interior doors and file cabinets during the break-in, the complaint said.

On July 22, police were called to U.S. Bank, 130 W. Superior St., where a number of personal items as well as keys for safety deposit boxes and cash bags were reported missing. Officers found pry marks "on many doors throughout the building," the complaint said. Surveillance video showed the suspect entering from Michigan Street with a keycard that belonged to a former custodian at the office, according to the complaint.

Investigators dusted for fingerprints, finding two prints in the building that were later confirmed as belonging to Carl, the complaint states.

On July 23, an officer arrested Carl on a probation violation warrant. In a search of his backpack, police said they found the keycard used to access U.S. Bank, along with clothing worn in the burglaries, spray paint, two screwdrivers, a 10-inch metal pry bar, two pairs of pliers and two wrenches, among other items.

In an interview the following day, he allegedly admitted to the burglaries at Carmody's Irish Pub, the Fitment Group and U.S. Bank. He also admitted to earlier burglaries at Carmody's, telling investigators he traded the stolen items for drugs, according to the complaint.

Carl was out on supervised release at the time of his latest arrest.

Burglaries at Duluth Cider, 2307 W. Superior St., were reported on Sept. 9 and 12. On the second date, police were notified that a pair of sunglasses, box of industrial gloves, pair of work boots and a Duluth Pack bag were missing from the production area, according to a complaint filed Friday.

A review of surveillance video helped police identify Carl as the suspect. The video allegedly showed him entering the building around 5:20 a.m.

On Sept. 25, an officer found Carl and two other people walking out of a condemned garage at 224 N. 62nd Ave. W., according to the complaint. Officers noted Carl was wearing the same outfit as the suspect in the video.

He was also found to be in possession of two computers and a Bose wireless speaker that were stolen from another Lincoln Park business on Sept. 21-22, the complaint said. That case remained under investigation Friday.

Carl is charged with five counts of third-degree burglary and two counts of possession of burglary tools.

Floerke denied Carl's request for a public defender because the defendant reported he has been working in excess of 90 hours a week, earning too much money to qualify. The judge said he would give him another chance for pretrial release, but this time under the intensive supervision program.

"They're going to give you a million conditions," the judge said. "You've got to live by all million."

Anyone with information on other burglaries is asked to contact the Duluth Police Department Property and Financial Crimes Unit at 218-730-5160.