Teen Targets Mom's Home in IGH Smash-n-Grab

A 19-year-old South St. Paul woman was arrested June 20 after Inver Grove police say she broke into her mother's home and stole a safe—the contents of which were valued at well over $4,000.

Tara Megan Barslou was charged with second degree burglary and theft—both felonies—after police found the contents of the safe and portion of the safe itself in her South St. Paul apartment.

According to a Dakota County criminal complaint, Barslou cut away a screen and pushed in a window to gain access to her mom's home in the 8000 block of Copperfield Way.

Once inside the home, Barslou allegedly rummaged through an upstairs bathroom and an upstairs bedroom until she found the safe.

The homeowner told police her bedroom is always locked when she’s away from home and the keys to her bedroom are kept in the upstairs bathroom along with the key to the safe.  

The homeowner also told police that only family members would know where the keys are located. 

According to the complaint, the safe contained passports, motor vehicle titles, checkbooks, credit cards, jewelry, a rare coin and prescription medications.

Jewelry contained in the safe was valued at approximately $4,100.   

The complaint states Barslou and her mother had experienced a rocky relationship recently and that she had not been allowed in the family home for approximately one year. 

If convicted of the burglary charge, Barslou could spend up to 10 years in prison and be forced to pay a $20,000 fine. 

In an unrelated case, Barslou was charged in April this year with felony offering a forged check, the penalty for which could be up to five years in prison and $10,000 fine.