Eden Prairie Police looking into validity of armed robbery reports after 'several inconsistencies'

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Eden Prairie Police are questioning whether three reported armed robberies are legitimate.

In a release Wednesday, the Police Department pointed to two robberies along Anderson Lakes Parkway and Neill Lake Road and another that occurred Tuesday in the area of Columbine Road and Prairie Center Drive as possibly invalid. In all three, police reported “several inconsistencies” among the victim’s statements, “which call into question the validity of the reports.”

In each of the reported robberies, detectives noted the victims reported their Mexican or Ecuadorian passports or consular identification cards stolen.

As part of the investigation into the robbery reports, the Police Department added a mobile camera trailer to the Anderson Lakes Parkway area, added surveillance along walking trails and paths and increased patrols in the area. No suspicious activity has been observed.

In the Aug. 20 robbery, a couple told police they were walking along the parkway before 9 p.m. when two men approached them, assaulted them with knives and demanded money before fleeing on foot. The victims were both hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

Anyone with information related to these cases should call Eden Prairie Police at 952-949-6200.