Rochester police now have a second suspect in their sights in what they say is an international church burglary scheme that hit a local parish last summer.
Court records show an arrest warrant has been issued for 39-year-old Stefan Buzoianu in connection with a forced-entry break-in at the St. Francis of Assisi Parish Center on July 6, 2024. Officers called to the scene reported gouge marks near the doorknobs of three office doors and said filing cabinets in multiple offices had been rifled through. Parish staff told investigators the building had been secured before the break-in and that, as far as they could tell, nothing was actually taken. The case is now part of a broader probe into what authorities describe as an international theft ring targeting religious sites across Minnesota.
According to WJON, newly filed Olmsted County Court documents lay out the damage inside the parish center at 1114 3rd St SE. Officers swept the building and did not find anyone inside, but the complaint notes that the facility had been locked up before the burglary. The same filings state that surveillance footage shows two suspects moving through the building.
Surveillance Linked Suspects To Ring
Investigators say that surveillance video, combined with work by the Rochester Police Department Intelligence Unit, led them to identify the pair as members of an "organized Romanian theft group," according to KROC-AM News. One suspect, 29-year-old Artur Crudu of Arlington, Texas, was previously identified, and a warrant for his arrest was issued last month. Court records indicate he is scheduled for a first appearance in April.
The new warrant names 39-year-old Buzoianu, whose address is listed as unknown. Both men are charged with second-degree burglary in connection with the Rochester parish break-in.
Part Of A Wider Pattern
Local and regional reporting has tied similar break-ins to a wider pattern of thefts targeting religious sites and homes across the country. MPR News, via Sahan Journal, documented multiple burglaries of Hindu and Buddhist temples in Minnesota between May and July 2024.
Separate coverage by CBS Minnesota reported that an individual named Stefan Buzoianu was deported to Romania on Oct. 21, 2024, a detail that may help explain why his address is listed as unknown in the most recent court filings.
Legal Note
Under Minnesota law, entering a religious establishment without consent and with intent to commit a crime is classified as second-degree burglary and can carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines, according to the Minnesota statutes. Any eventual sentence would depend on the specific allegations in the case and on the defendant’s prior record.
What Happens Next
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is responsible for maintaining and serving arrest warrants. The county’s website explains how warrants are processed and advises people who are wanted to turn themselves in through the Adult Detention Center when appropriate.
Police are asking anyone with information about Buzoianu's whereabouts to contact the Rochester Police Department. Court records also show that Crudu's first court appearance in the case is scheduled for April, according to WJON.
