ST PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul Police Department is investigating a string of robberies that occurred Sunday evening, similar to a series of robberies that occurred in December.
According to police, five robberies happened over the span of about three hours Sunday beginning around 6:30 p.m. Police say that in multiple instances a gun, or what was believed to be a gun, was shown.
"The method that these robberies are being conducted," said St. Paul police spokesperson Mike Ernster, when asked about the similarities between Sunday's robberies and the December robberies. "They're approaching people that are just randomly walking on the street and robbing (them) of their valuables, specifically women and purses. So, it's very similar to what we had going on previous."
Police say the initial call on Sunday came around 6:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of Barclay St. on the east side of St. Paul. Two men were robbed entering their apartment. According to police, a gun was put to the victims' backs and the men were robbed of their wallets and keys. The suspects tried to flee in the victim's vehicle, but the victims ran after the suspects and they fled on foot.
A second robbery was reported around 7 p.m. on the 1500 block of Timberlake Road when a woman's purse was stolen while she was walking into her home. Police say the victim said they saw a gun.
About 10 minutes later, on the 400 block of Sherburne Ave. two women entering a residence were approached by three people, one holding a gun, and robbed of their purses.
At around 7:15 p.m., two women were walking in the area of Holly Ave. and Mackubin St. when two suspects jumped out a parked car and stole a purse from one of the women. The suspects fled in the vehicle.
The fifth reported robbery came at around 9:15 p.m. on the 1300 block of Western Ave North. A man and a woman were entering their apartment. One of the suspects was holding a gun.
"We just want people to be aware so we can take precautions as they're moving about the city," Ernster said.
According to police, victims were able to provide a basic description of the suspect: A black male in his late teens or early 20s, and his accomplices appear to be in their early teens, possibly as young as 14 years old.
"It's very concerning," Ernster said. "We don't want these to escalate ... anybody to be seriously injured or killed in one of these.
"And if somebody does come to you and demands your property, the best bet would be just to hand over your property and think of your safety first."
