Minneapolis Police Precinct 3 (Sector 2) Update, Week Ending 12-21-20

City of Minneapolis sent this bulletin at 12/29/2020 04:10 PM CST

 

Minneapolis Police Department 3rd Precinct

Sector 2 Reported Crime Weekly Update

For the Bancroft, Bryant, Central, Corcoran, Powderhorn Park and Standish (North of 42nd Street East) neighborhoods

(The borders of Sector 2 are the south side of Lake Street East to the north side of 42nd Street East between the east side of 35W and the west side of Hiawatha Avenue South)

 

Week of Dec. 15-21, 2020 

Hello. I am John Baumann, one of the four crime prevention specialists working in the Third Precinct.  I do the weekly crime updates for Sector 2 while working from home due to the pandemic. Previously, I staffed the Midtown Community Safety Center near Chicago and Lake.

 

I am not going to in-person meetings at this time but can participate in online meetings. You can reach me at john.baumann@minneapolismn.gov or 612-286-7849 (leave a text or voice message-I may call you back from a different number). Please let me know if you have questions, need information or have something you’d like to share with the Sector 2 community. Thanks!

 

Brief updates

  • There were two violent crimes this week, down from four last week and down dramatically from 16 two weeks ago.
  • I’m happy to note there was only one robbery this week, down from two last week and 11 two weeks ago. The robbery occurred when a man was trying to buy something from a man he didn’t know, who then pulled a gun.
  • There were six burglaries this week, the same as last week. One occurred at a business. In two of the five home burglaries, entry was made through an unlocked door. In two others, the residents were at home. In one of these, the burglar entered by breaking a window. In the other, entry was likely through an unsecured window. Practicing good home security means locking doors and windows even when you are home. Make sure windows lock completely. Look into pinning windows when clamshell locks on double hung windows don’t align properly.
  • There were nine auto thefts this week, down slightly from 11 last week but still a large number for a seven-day period in Sector 2.
    • In one of the auto thefts, a man picked up a woman he didn’t know, who then stole the key and threw it to an accomplice.
    • In two other cases, the vehicle was left running unattended.
    • In one other, a key was left inside the vehicle.
    • In five cases, the doors were left unlocked, which makes it easier to steal the vehicle without making noticeable noise. Leaving doors unlocked also makes it faster for a thief to hotwire an older vehicle.
  • The Third Precinct continues to focus its officer resources primarily on responding to 911 calls. You can help improve your safety by calling 911 whenever you see illegal or suspicious activity. Give a thorough description of the activity, people, weapons and vehicles involved (including license plate numbers). 911 dispatchers prioritize the calls and officers go to the highest priority pending call. If the situation changes, please call 911 back and give an update. Calling 911 is even more important these days because we no longer have a drug enforcement team in the precinct and focused work on properties with problems has had to be reduced.
  • People who would like to start receiving updates for Sector 2 or any sector in any precinct can sign up by searching for “Crime Alerts” on the City of Minneapolis website or by following this link: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/contact-us/sign-up-for-news-alerts/.
  • I have included the text of a press release concerning the Dec. 24 homicide at the light rail station at 2310 Lake St. E., in the East Phillips neighborhood but across the street from Corcoran. People with information are encouraged to contact CrimeStoppers.

 

Violent crimes

Aggravated assault

Dec. 15, 9:51 p.m. 30xx 13th Ave. S (Powderhorn Park) A man said he was on the sidewalk in a crowd when a man he didn’t know asked to use his phone. The man refused and the unknown man pulled out a gun and shot him in the foot.     

Robbery

Dec. 20, 2 p.m., 30xx 15th Ave. S (Powderhorn Park) A man said he was trying to purchase something from a man he didn’t know. The unknown man pulled out a handgun, asked for money and took the man’s phone.

 

Property crimes

Note: For each burglary and auto theft, the time listed is sometimes the beginning of a time range in which the crime occurred.

Burglary

Home (including garage)

Dec. 16, 3:43 a.m., 15xx 38th St. E. (Bancroft) Business. Entry: Broken front door. Loss: Cash from a register.

Dec. 16, 3:55 a.m., 41xx 21st Ave. S. (Standish) Occupied. Entry: Broken window. Loss: Laptop computer.

Dec. 17, 3 p.m., 40xx Columbus Ave. S. (Bryant) Entry: Unlocked front door. Loss: Vintage fur coat, three jewelry boxes, keys to vehicle, vehicle.

Dec. 18, 1 a.m., 33xx Clinton Ave. S. (Central) Entry: Forced window lock. Loss: Safe, gift card, gaming console, pajamas, cosmetics, perfume.

Dec. 20, 4:30 a.m., 38xx Portland Ave. S. (Bryant) Occupied. Entry: Likely a window. Loss: Vehicle keys, AirPods.

Dec. 20, 8 p.m., 35xx Cedar Ave. S. (Corcoran) Entry: Unlocked door. Loss: Social Security card. Note: The victim also found that his dog had been severely injured and had to be euthanized. 

 

Auto theft

Dec. 15, 5 p.m., Lake Street East and 12th Avenue South (Powderhorn Park) A man said that an unknown woman flagged him down while he was driving. She got into the passenger seat, grabbed the keys from the ignition and threw them to an unknown man outside. The man got out of the vehicle to try to get the keys and the unknown man drove away in the vehicle.

Dec. 15, 9 p.m., 32xx Elliot Ave. S. (Powderhorn Park) The vehicle was parked with the doors unlocked and without a key inside.

Dec. 16, 4 a.m., 36xx Oakland Ave. S. (Central) The vehicle was parked with the doors unlocked and a key inside.

Dec. 16, 8 p.m., 34th Street East and Bloomington Avenue South (Powderhorn Park) The vehicle was parked with the doors locked and without a key inside.

Dec. 17, 8:40 a.m., 31xx Bloomington Ave. S. (Powderhorn Park) The vehicle was parked with the doors locked and without a key inside. The vehicle was recovered on 12-23-20.

Dec. 18, 12:01 a.m., 30xx Cedar Ave. S. (Corcoran) The vehicle was parked with doors unlocked and without a key inside. An officer recovered the vehicle on 12-21-20.

Dec. 18, 4:17 p.m., 30xx Second Ave. S. (Central) The vehicle was parked and running with the doors unlocked and without a key inside. Officers recovered the vehicle on 12-20-20.

Dec. 18, 9:01 p.m., 30xx Cedar Ave. S. (Powderhorn Park) The vehicle was parked with the doors unlocked and without a key inside. Officers located the vehicle and the victim recovered it later the same day.

Dec. 20, 11:10 a.m., 37xx Fifth Ave. S. (Central) The vehicle was parked and running with the doors unlocked and without a key inside.  Community members held the suspect, Tyler Jay Rhodes, to the ground and officers arrested him.

Please let me know if you would like additional information about any of these crimes.

 

Confrontation Leads to Adult Male’s Death

December 24, 2020 (MINNEAPOLIS) At 2:25 pm Thursday afternoon, officers from the Minneapolis and Metro Transit Police Departments responded to a report of a shooting at the light rail station on the 2300 block of East Lake Street. 

Officers arrived and located an adult male suffering from a gunshot wound who had no pulse or respirations.  Officers provided immediate care until relived by paramedics.  Medical personnel on scene pronounced him deceased.  The victim is believed to be in his late 20’s. 

Preliminary information is that a confrontation between two males turned physical and one man pulled out a gun and shot the other.   

Detectives from the Minneapolis Police Department’s Homicide Unit responded to the scene and took over the investigation. 

Crime Lab personnel responded to document the scene and collect evidence.

The Medical Examiner will release the identity of the victim, along with the nature and cause of death in the days to come. 

The GO # for this case is 20-318161.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).  Tips may be submitted electronically at www.CrimeStoppersMN.org. All Tips are anonymous and persons providing information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.      

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For questions, contact:

John Baumann
3rd Precinct Crime Prevention Specialist
Minneapolis Police Department
john.baumann@minneapolismn.gov
612-286-7849