Minneapolis Police along with the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol have arrested 41 people who are suspected of carjackings around the city. The operation led to the recovery of seven stolen vehicles and five guns. All were arrested for felony-level crimes.
With carjackings up more than 320% in 2020, Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said that this was important to stop and he is thankful for the support from other agencies.
“I want to thank Sheriff Hutchinson and his VOTF for their help during this carjacking suppression detail and other similar operations we’ve done together in the past. We have a strong, long-standing working relationship between our two agencies that I’m confident will continue into the future to help keep Minneapolis safe for all.”
Hennepin County Sheriff Hutchinson said that his Violent Offender Task Force was able to help apprehend this 41 suspects, but it was a multi-agency job.
“Our VOTF deputies are highly trained experts in these types of targeted violent crime suppression efforts. When we combine our expertise with other law enforcement resources, we often have an immediate and significant impact on the safety of citizens.”
As many people noticed, a Minnesota State Patrol Helicopter was circling much of south Minneapolis last week. That part of the operation was able to help arrest nine suspects on misdemeanor level crimes. They also recovered a pipe bomb.
All agencies offered tips for drivers to avoid being carjacked:
- Park in well-lit areas
-Always be hyper-aware of your surroundings
-Equip your car with an anti-theft device
-Lock your doors while driving
-Don’t stop for apparently stranded strangers along the road. Note their location and pull over in a safe place once you’ve passed to call for help.
-Look for people in the area that you are stopping/parking. If you’re not comfortable, consider driving away and parking elsewhere and call 911.
