South Minneapolis residents can breathe a bit easier now that Vaughn James Yaints is in police custody.

Yaints has admitted to more than 100 burglaries in the Nokomis, Standish, Powderhorn, and Corcoran neighborhoods between December and March, reports Jan Willms in the Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger. Among the properties he victimized was the flower shop at 38th St. and Grand Ave., though Yaints said the fire that resulted from the break-in was not set intentionally.

“He was very adamant that he was non-confrontational and that he did not want to hurt anybody,” said police Sgt. Joel Sandberg, and Third Precinct investigator. “He said that if he saw residents coming home, he would immediately leave.”

Yaints said he broke into houses during the day and businesses at night. He would look for homes that seemed abandoned, with newspapers piling up on the steps or with shades drawn. Most of the stolen property was dispersed through drug dealers, gangs, and prostitutes. Larger items were fenced in Chicago.

Yaints remains in police custody awaiting sentencing.