10 charged with Black Friday 'grab and run' robbery at Blaine Best Buy

BLAINE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Prosecutors in Anoka County have charged eight adults and two juveniles with felony theft for their alleged involvement in a "grab and run" style raid on a home theatre department of a Best Buy in Blaine on Black Friday.

Investigators believe that a group of 14 people, including men, women and juveniles, targeted four stores on Black Friday -- Best Buys in Blaine, Maplewood and Burnsville, and Dick’s Sporting Goods in Richfield. The charges filed so far focus on 10 people suspected of participating in the incident at the Best Buy on Northtown Drive in Blaine, in which police said the group grabbed items in the Home Theatre Department worth almost $5,600 and then rushed past employees and through the exists without paying.  

Detectives tracked vehicles allegedly used in the incident, conducted hours of surveillance, and analyzed store security video and social media posts to identify the suspects and connect them to the crime, according to charging documents prepared by the Anoka County Attorney’s Office.  

Blaine police said a tipster sent them one social media post in which a suspect whose first name is Ralai bragged that he is the first store thief to set up an LCC, and that he plans to offer shipping services to send products to other states soon. "This is a lifestyle and I’m proud to say that I’m the first certified booster with an LLC… NO STORE IS TOO BIG NO STORE IS TO[sic] SMALL, RUN OUTS BY RALAI WILL DUST THEM ALL," the post said, according to police.

Police said they will send the suspects notice of a court date via mail, and then if they fail to appear, a warrant will be issued for their arrest. The ages of the adult suspects range from 38 to 19. They face a possible sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of up to $100,000.