Dozens of Minneapolis residents had their vehicle windows smashed in a vandalism and theft spree Sunday night into early Monday morning.
Crime Watch began posting reports of vehicle break-ins just after 10 p.m. from the Lyn-Lake area of Minneapolis. The reports continued after midnight and ramped up at a rapid pace starting just before 1 a.m. and up to 2 a.m., according to dispatch audio.
There were numerous reports of roving groups smashing vehicle windows while driving or while on foot from about 22nd Avenue South to 38th Avenue South between Blaisdell and Lyndale avenues.
Crime Watch obtained one video from the 2500 block of Blaisdell Avenue South that showed multiple prowlers breaking into vehicles in a parking lot around 11 p.m.
Another resident who sent photos to Crime Watch from the vandalism at the Blaisdell location (top photos) said at least six vehicles had smashed windows.
More photos were posted in the Uptown Crime group on Facebook that showed several vehicle windows broken out in the area of 33rd and Garfield Avenue South.
Windows smashed on 33rd and Garfield Ave S overnight. Just a few of dozens of vehicles that were damaged in a vandalism/theft spree overnight in south Minneapolis.
Pic from Uptown Crime group pic.twitter.com/cSPwNhVHJV— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) May 15, 2023
Another video obtained by Crime Watch showed several prowlers in an alley of 34th to 35th between Garfield and Harriet avenues just before midnight.
NEW: More video from the overnight prowlers/vandals in south Minneapolis. This is from 34th-35th Garfield to Harriet just before midnight Sunday.
Well over two dozen vehicles had windows smashed and/or were burglarized in south Minneapolis. Scroll through our prior posts. pic.twitter.com/l6HYXVcndp— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) May 16, 2023
At one point, police came upon a possible suspect vehicle, but it fled from the area, and they did not pursue. Minneapolis police pursuit policy only allows pursuits under very limited circumstances and does not include property damage incidents.
Police aired just before 2 a.m. that upwards of 20 vehicles had been damaged in one area, and later told media that over two dozen vehicles had been damaged in the south Minneapolis spree. MPD confirmed no arrests had been made at the time.
Vehicle break-ins continued into the day Monday with a report of juveniles breaking into vehicles just after noon in the area of 30th and Lyndale Avenue South. Information wasn’t immediately available on the extent of that report.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
