SLP, SW Minneapolis Bus Stop Robberies Linked

A pair of armed robberies at bus stops in St. Louis Park and Southwest Minneapolis may be related, according to the Southwest Journal.

The robberies occurred on Jan. 17 and Feb. 13 at the intersection of 46th Street and Bryant Ave South in Minneapolis, on Feb. 20 at the corner of Minnetonka Boulevard and Colorado Avenue in St. Louis Park, and on Feb. 21 at the corner of Minnetonka Boulevard and Hampshire Avenue in St. Louis Park. The victims in each case gave very similar descriptions of the man who mugged them: a young black man, about 5 feet, 5 inches tall, wearing a dark-colored mask and hoodie or puffy jacket, brandishing a pistol.

As Patch reported last month, the St. Louis Park High School went into an hour-long lockdown after police swept the surrounding area for the suspect without success.

To reduce the chances of becoming a robber's target, St. Louis Park Police recommend you should:

• Be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are alone.
• Have your cell phone readily accessible and report any suspicious persons and/or activity immediately to the Police.  Call 911!
• Do not carry large sums of cash or unnecessary credit cards, and keep your purse zipped.

If you become a robber's victim, police recommend the following:

• To ensure your safety, fully cooperate with any orders these suspects give.
• Call 911 immediately or as soon as the suspects leave.  Even seconds can make a difference in catching a suspect.
• Do not touch or disturb anything that a suspect may have touched or that has been part of the crime scene.