St. Paul Police release video of woman robbed, dragged by car

ST PAUL, Minn. — Police are warning the public about a string of robberies in St. Paul, after one violent incident was caught on camera.

St. Paul Police released the footage on their Facebook page Thursday. It shows a woman putting shopping bags away in her trunk in the parking lot of Hmong Village.

In the video, a man jumps out of what police say is a stolen Hyundai Elantra, grabs the woman's purse, and tries to drive away. Police say the woman's arm got caught in the strap and she was dragged 75 yards.

She was not seriously injured in that incident, which happened at 5:20 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15. Police say the car in the video is a 2017 dark blue Hyundai Elantra.

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Police say that's just one of more than 20 similar robbery reports they've received since Wednesday, Nov. 20.

"Some of them are on sidewalks in residential areas, some of them are in parking lots where people are shopping," says Public Information Officer Steven Linders. "It looks like this group might work a particular area for a while and then move on to another area."

Linders says investigators do not believe the incidents to be linked to gang activity, but rather a small group of opportunistic people.   

He says some of the victims who fight back are met with fists and guns.

"They sneak up from behind. They jump out of stolen cars. They strike at all hours of the day and night, in all parts of the city. Their victims are women, walking alone, typically carrying a purse or bag," the SPPD post says. 

All the reports share the same characteristics, police say:

• Victims are women 40 and older, alone and carrying purses or bags
• Suspects pull hoods or hats over their heads and faces to conceal their identities
• Suspects sneak up on foot or in stolen cars, then rip the purses or bags away
• If victims resist, suspects hit them and threaten them, sometimes with guns
• The suspects get away on foot or in stolen cars

Anyone who has information about any of the crimes is asked to call 651-266-5650.

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