Teens arrested following violent crime spree in south Minneapolis
A surveillance camera captured a group of teens, who police say were part of a violent crime spree, arriving near a store in south Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A group of teenagers is accused of going on a violent crime spree in a south Minneapolis neighborhood, where they allegedly committed several robberies and stole a car in broad daylight.
Surveillance video shows a group of six pile out of a car with their hoods up and masks on, ready to commit their fourth robbery of the morning. Chad Stamps says they robbed his wife at her gift store, 14 Hill, near E 48th Street and Chicago Avenue in broad daylight Tuesday.
“They pushed her down and then they opened up the cash register and took the cash and ran out of there,” said Stamps.
When Stamps’ wife saw her opportunity, she ran next door to the dog wash business, but the suspects followed her, assaulting the employee inside.
The thieves made off not only with all the cash she had on hand and her purse, but her car as well. Minneapolis police say the brazen criminals were only 14 and 15 years old and on a crime spree around the Lake Nokomis area.
“The police can only help after the fact and that’s what they’re doing right now, but it’s not going to stop them from doing this until you stop the source and figure that out,” said Stamps.
Police tracked the cars and three of the six suspects were arrested and are now facing multiple felony charges. The businesses face thousands of dollars in losses and fear of future incidents.
Minneapolis police said by 4 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, there were already four carjackings in the Third Precinct, which is the area where Tuesday’s robberies took place. At least one business on that block told FOX 9 they're sick of it and they're taking their store to the suburbs.