MINNEAPOLIS — As the semester winds to a close, the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis Police are warning students about a string of thefts and robberies – all involving cell phones.
One student on campus told KARE 11 “people are definitely on the lookout,” while another student said “I’m holding my phone a little tighter in my pocket… I’ve seen people get robbed. Sometimes it just happens right in front of you.”
According to MPD, a total of 10 thefts and robberies have occurred in the past week, including four categorized as “aggravated robberies.”
John Elder, a spokesperson for Minneapolis Police, said it appears the suspects may be using stolen cars during these crimes.
“We’re seeing incidents,” Elder said, “where people are walking around with their phones in their hands, and cars are pulling up and actually jumping out, stealing the phone from the person, getting back in the car and leaving.”
Citywide, cell phone thefts are down, according to police data. They report an average of about 1.5 phones stolen per day in 2021, compared to a rate of 1.8 last year.
But it’s considered a “crime of opportunity.”
“Remember,” Elder said, “your phone is a $400, $600, maybe even $1,000 piece of equipment.”
Police have not publicly identified any suspects.