Vandals Trash Mercedes With Fork, Owner 'Too Busy' for Evidence Collection

Around lunch time on Jan. 22, a resident of an apartment complex on the 2500 block of Highway 100 found every body panel on his Mercedes had been scratched overnight—using a fork, according to St. Louis Park police records. The culprits also had managed to gain entry to the car and cut every leather surface in the vehicle, from seats to dashboard. The man refused to let crime lab technicians examine the vehicle for evidence, as he was "too busy."

Jan. 18

Graffiti artists tagged the vestibule and stairwell of an apartment complex on the 2500 block of Highway 100. 

Burglars struck a business on the 4300 block of Highway 7 overnight. Three laptops were stolen, along with eight Timberwolves season tickets.

Jan. 21

A drunk driver collided head-on with a parked car at the corner of Hampshire Ave and 16th Street around 9 p.m. Police were unable to determine just how the accident happened because the driver was too intoxicated to speak.

Jan. 22

A trailer full of tools was stolen out of a driveway on the 2000 block of Louisiana Ave South.

A driver on 36th Street, distracted by her search for the Byerly's parking lot, rear-ended the car ahead of her at the intersection of 36th Street and Park Center Boulevard. Her husband, who was riding in the passenger seat, was transported to Regions Hospital for examination out of fear the crash had aggravated an old back injury. The couple's car had to be towed from the scene.

A driver on Highway 100 rear-ended another car in stop-and-go traffic as the two passed Beth El Synagogue. Neither driver was cited.

Burglars struck a business on the 6500 block of West Lake Street near midnight, making off with cash. Police are continuing to investigate.

Jan. 23

Thieves struck two cars in the West End Park-and-Ride lot during the day.

Jan. 24

A 24-year old pregnant woman assaulted the manager of Open Box TV around 7 p.m. after she and her mother brought her television in for warranty repair work. The woman was evidently upset by the size of the loaner television she would get while repairs were completed, and for being forced to leave the store after screaming at the manager over the size of the replacement TV.

Jan. 25

Police responded to a reported shoplifting at the Knollwood Mall.

A man called police to report an $8,000 bag of camera equipment had been stolen from his house on the 2700 block of Joppa Ave—in December. of 2011.

Jan. 27

A drunk patron of Toby Keith's I Love This Bar and Grill called police just before bar close to complain that a bouncer had assaulted him while he tried to break up a fight between two of his friends. The bouncer told police that he had just separated the man's two friends, who were fighting, when the patron began shoving him repeatedly in the chest and hit him in the face with an open palm. As he brought his arms in front of him in an attempt to block any more blows, he "may have inadvertently hit" the patron who accused him of assault, according to the report, and then pushed the man into the wall in order to control him. The police report says the patron who reported the assault later admitted to pushing the bouncer first. 

A guest at the West End Doubletree Hotel reported his car's taillight was broken out early in the morning, perhaps by a group against whom he'd called in a noise complaint the night before.

A 26-year old Minnetonka woman and a 20-year old St. Louis Park man got into a verbal dispute at the Miracle Mile Baja Sol. The argument ended when the man got up, shoved the couple's table, smashed a glass bottle on the floor, and left.

Jan. 28

Burglars hit the laundry room of an apartment building on the 3100 block of Raleigh Ave South, taking coins from one of the washers.  

A St. Louis Park High School student was cited for bringing a knife to school. The case has been referred to the Hennepin County Attorney's office for charging.

Police responded to a reported theft at the St. Louis Park LA Fitness.

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