Crime, Law and Justice

St. Paul cops seek suspects in rash of parking lot assaults on women

St. Paul police say some 20 women were robbed in parking lots recently.
St. Paul police say in the last month they've received more than 20 reports of women robbed in parking lots and released video showing a Sunday assault where woman was dragged by the assailants' car. She was not seriously hurt.
St. Paul Police Department

St. Paul police are looking for suspects in a series of robberies targeting women following a shocking attack Sunday caught on video showing a woman being dragged by the assailants’ car.

In the last month, investigators say they've received more than 20 reports of robberies where men concealing their faces with hats or sweatshirt grab purses or bags from women.

The victims have typically been women over age 40 walking alone, and the suspects sneak up from behind either on foot or in stolen cars and rip the bags from the victims' shoulders.

Some of the women have been threatened with guns or hit.

The department posted surveillance video from the incident Sunday outside a shopping center on the 1000 block of Johnson Parkway at about 5:20 p.m. It shows a woman being dragged about 75 feet on snowy pavement by a stolen car after her arm got caught in her purse strap.

She was not seriously hurt, but police said it showed the urgency of finding the suspects.

Dear reader,

Your voice matters. And we want to hear it.

Will you help shape the future of Minnesota Public Radio by taking our short Listener Survey?

It only takes a few minutes, and your input helps us serve you better—whether it’s news, culture, or the conversations that matter most to Minnesotans.

Volume Button
Volume
Now Listening To Livestream
MPR News logo
On Air
Fresh Air with Terry Gross