As if another string of armed robberies this weekend isn't enough, the age of the suspects involved has police particularly concerned.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara says there were at least six incidents between 10:00 a.m. and noon on Sunday. Four of those came in a span of 18 minutes, as well as another round of robberies Sunday night in Northeast Minneapolis.
O'Hara tells WCCO's Adam Carter the suspects are shockingly young.
"I believe one of the kids arrested last night is 12-years old," O'Hara says. "I don't think it's his first, in fact I'm certain it's not his first interaction with the police."
Two of the three juveniles arrested have been in custody repeatedly says O'Hara.
"We have taken them into custody for crimes before, and it's everything from auto theft, in some cases robbery and carjacking," explains the chief.
He says arrests are one thing, but the problematic corrections system as a whole, not just county attorneys, prevents them from holding kids and actually getting them charged with crimes.
"Beyond making arrests, getting these kids charged is particularly difficult, and it gets even more and more difficult the more serious these crimes get and the higher volume of crimes involved," O'Hara explains.
These robberies come on the heels of another string of robberies in Minneapolis on February 10-11. Most of the suspects in that string of crimes were described by police as "juveniles" as well.
Victims described groups of three to six juveniles or young adults, men and women, wearing dark clothing and masks.