No joke: ‘Blonde’ bumper sticker connects woman to burglary

A conspicuous bumper sticker on an accused burglar’s car connected her with a separate Washington County burglary after she allegedly tried burglarizing a home in Woodbury.

Police arrested 46-year-old Christine Burtman on Jan. 23 after a resident on Greenbriar Lane witnessed a woman attempting to enter her home.

Burtman was later charged with two separate counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree burglary.

Allegations that led to Burtman first surfaced on Jan. 4, when a Marine on St. Croix man came home from a jog and found a strange vehicle parked in his driveway and an unknown woman in his house. The woman, who claimed to be lost, but later stated she thought she was at home, had cash sticking out of her pants, the man reported.

The man had the woman produce identification that he recalled reading “Christina Buntman” and listing a Woodbury address. The man later discovered $215 in cash was missing from the home.

The woman drove off in a green car displaying a bumper sticker that the Marine on St. Croix man recalled made reference to a blonde joke.

Police caught up with Burtman on Jan. 23 after a Greenbriar Lane resident reported watching a woman attempting to enter her home through multiple entry points. After the woman was unsuccessful gaining entry, the resident told 911 dispatchers that she watched the woman walk to a neighboring house.

Police found the woman, later identified as Burtman, walking out from between two Greenbriar Lane houses. When questioned, Burtman said she had been passing out fliers and checking on a home for sale. Police said neither fliers nor a for-sale sign were found in the area.

After Burtman’s vehicle was seized, officers noticed it displayed a bumper sticker reading “Not all dumbs are blonde.” In an interview with a Washington County sheriff’s investigator, Burtman allegedly admitted being at the Marine on St. Croix residence, but denied going inside – saying that she had only asked for directions there.

Burtman makes her initial court appearance on Thursday, Feb. 7.

Tags: crime and courts, news, crime