Rash Of Masked Robberies Near Minneapolis Lakes

[DeanC]

Rash Of Masked Robberies Near Minneapolis Lakes
Jun 3, 2008 5:48 pm US/Central
Reporting
Darcy Pohland
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ― With warmer, sunny weather big crowds were flocking to the Minneapolis chain of lakes last weekend, but it also lured in a gang of masked robbers.

Minneapolis Police said they saw a pattern of five robberies around Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles last Wednesday through Sunday nights. The robbers were targeting couples out for an evening stroll around the lakes.

"That's like scary cause you usually think if you're with somebody else that then you're safer. But I guess for this it's the other way around," said Minneapolis resident Halley Lillehei.

Investigators say a group of two to six masked bandits picked their prey at Lake Calhoun and Lake of the Isles when couples were walking together either late at night or early morning.

"With a man with you, you wouldn't think they'd mess with you because they don't want to get into something," said Minneapolis resident Georgia Hill.

Four of the targets were male, female couples.

"I think they're targeting them because when you're with a girlfriend you don't want your lady to get hurt so you'd just give up what you need to give up," said Lake Calhoun visitor Josh Kaiser.

The fifth pair of victims was women.

"When I have a dog I'm good. If it was just me and another gal I wouldn't feel that safe, if it was in the evening. I stopped going around Cedar Lake because of all the trails," said Minneapolis resident Sarah Whitesel.

Police say each ambush has been similar.

"They're concealing their identity either by a bandanna or a good and they're implying or showing a gun demanding money," said Minneapolis Police Lt. Jack Kelly.

In one case, the victim was punched in the face several times. That instance has regulars and visitors to the lakes taking extra safety precautions.

Fifth Precinct Police Officers are working with Park Police to patrol the Calhoun and Isles area more frequently, especially on the weekends.

They say the best, easier and most obvious thing for couples to do to keep from becoming victims is to leave the lakes when the sun goes down.

Police are investigating someone recently arrested in another crime and are also exploring other leads.

[DeanC]

They say the best, easier and most obvious thing for couples to do to keep from becoming victims is to leave the lakes when the sun goes down.

Frick - nice advice.

[Steveb]

STAY IN YOUR HOMES...LOCK THE DOORS!
oh brother

[BRIT_in_the_weeds]

Do they teach ENGLISH at journalist skool

The fifth pair of victims was women.

As for the victims...........

[David]

The subject of the sentence is "pair," not "women," so the sentence, as awkward as it sounds, is correct as far as subject and verb agreeing. To make it less awkward, she should have said, "The victims in the fifth pair were women." That would make "victims" the subject, which of course requires a plural verb.

They definitely don't teach journalists much about grammar these days, or, more importantly, style. Unless of course style refers to fashion, whereupon that's pretty much all TV journalists have going on.

[/grammar nazi]

[TC95GT]

They say the best, easier and most obvious thing for couples to do to keep from becoming victims is to leave the lakes when the sun goes down.

exploding-head-guy.gif (5.58 KB) Viewed 3162 times

[Stradawhovious]

STAY IN YOUR HOMES...LOCK THE DOORS!
oh brother

But then if they come in your home, the police will tell you to flee...... So where exactly are we not giving criminals free reign?

[BRIT_in_the_weeds]

STAY IN YOUR HOMES...LOCK THE DOORS!
oh brother

But then if they come in your home, the police will tell you to flee...... So where exactly are we not giving criminals free reign?

HELL







However they get there.

[rucker]

I was at Calhoun Saturday afternoon. Too bad I didn't go later.... oops, I mean, thank goodness I didn't stay too late!

[Stradawhovious]

I was at Calhoun Saturday afternoon. Too bad I didn't go later.... oops, I mean, thank goodness I didn't stay too late!

Hmmmmm...... Weekly MnGuntalk twilight walks around the lakes?

[JonL]

I was at Calhoun Saturday afternoon. Too bad I didn't go later.... oops, I mean, thank goodness I didn't stay too late!

Hmmmmm...... Weekly MnGuntalk twilight walks around the lakes?

OK! Pair off because too big a group would scare them off.... but who wears the wig and skirt?

[Stradawhovious]

I was at Calhoun Saturday afternoon. Too bad I didn't go later.... oops, I mean, thank goodness I didn't stay too late!

Hmmmmm...... Weekly MnGuntalk twilight walks around the lakes?

OK! Pair off because too big a group would scare them off.... but who wears the wig and skirt?

Well...... we already know he likes umbrellas in his drink...........

Sorry Plbark, bet you didn't think this one would come back to haunt you

[Lady Glock]

I was at Calhoun Saturday afternoon. Too bad I didn't go later.... oops, I mean, thank goodness I didn't stay too late!

Hmmmmm...... Weekly MnGuntalk twilight walks around the lakes?

OK! Pair off because too big a group would scare them off.... but who wears the wig and skirt?

How many women post here? Couldn't we get MNGT pairs that actually consisted of a man and woman? What about MNGT families? Any of you men have women who carry too?

Dang...this sounds like fun

Seriously though...wouldn't it be prudent for the police to have extra patrols around the area while this is going on? They could pair up and wear plain clothes for a couple weeks and catch these idiots.

[Srigs]

This happens every year... We will when it warms up get reports of stupid people leaving purses, cell phones and other stuff in plain sight and wonder why they get their cars broken in to.

People who move to the city don't realize they don't live in Kansas anymore. Yes you must lock stuff up, keep it out of sight and people want to rob you around the lakes.

[cobb]

They say the best, easier and most obvious thing for couples to do to keep from becoming victims is to leave the lakes when the sun goes down.

That is just one of those annoying quotes.

Why don't they just impose martial law, that will take care of the problem.

And no one had their keys to defend themselves.