MINNEAPOLIS — Police in the Twin Cities began grappling with an unprecedented number of carjackings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They said when it comes to violent carjackings, there is some encouraging crime data.
According to Minneapolis Police, there have been 174 carjackings in the city this year. That's down 50 percent from the 351 carjackings at this time last year and down from the 280 at this time in 2021.
Those numbers correlate with an overall drop in violent crime including murders in Minnesota.
But as the carjacking numbers drop, data shows motor vehicle thefts, which generally means stealing a car when the owner or driver is not present, have skyrocketed this year in Minneapolis – and other cities as well -- which criminal justice experts tell KARE 11 news likely contributes to the drop in carjackings.
Since Spring 2022, the US Attorney's office has been prosecuting most of the adult carjackings in Minneapolis, with at least 30 cases since.
This week, the office charged 22-year-old Leneal Frazier Junior, accusing him of live streaming a carjacking of a rival gang member on Facebook. Screenshots show a gun held to the driver's head.
Many believe enforcement has played a role in the drop of violent carjackings.
This year, the state legislature passed a new carjacking law that distinguishes the crime from aggravated robbery and carries stiffer potential penalties.
Editor's note: On Friday, a previous version of this story named another man the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged with carjacking, making him the first in the state to be charged under the new law. On Wednesday, prosecutors dismissed the complaint, stating the man was not involved with the crime.
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