Edina, St. Louis park police ask public for help identifying attempted carjacking suspects

Police in two cities are asking for help to identify the suspects involved in a string of attempted robberies and carjackings.

Several of the crimes happened outside Lunds & Byerlys stores in Edina and St. Louis Park, and the store says it’s now stepping up security at those locations.

One man, who didn’t want to be identified for his safety, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS he shops there all the time but was recently the victim of one of the attempted carjackings.

"They said they had a gun and they kept poking me with this thing that looked like a gun," the victim said.

Around 3:15 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, at the Lunds and Byerlys on Park Center Boulevard in St. Louis Park, the victim said he was in his car in the parking lot when all of a sudden he says a group of young men attacked him.

"He was hitting me and trying to pull me out on the ground and the other guy was sitting in the other seat and he was kicking me and punching me," the victim said.

After putting up a fight, the victim told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the suspects eventually left the scene in a light-colored SUV.

"The idea that they told me they had a gun and I chose to fight them, in hindsight I probably shouldn’t have done that," the victim said.

Just less than two hours later, police in Edina responded to an attempted carjacking at the Lunds and Byerlys on West 50th Street. Edina police said four young men tried to take an occupied vehicle when two Good Samaritans stepped in to help. Three people were injured, one of them was seriously injured.

Edina police investigators now believe the same suspects were involved in the earlier incident from St. Louis Park. The Edina Police Department described the suspect vehicle as a white 2016 GMC Acadia with the license plate 207 VNR, which was previously reported stolen from St. Louis Park.

"This is very surprising," the victim said.

But that’s not it.

St. Louis Park police said a woman was robbed of her purse at the same Lunds & Byerlys on Park Center Boulevard on Monday.
Plus, officials believe the suspects were involved in an attempted carjacking at Bridgewater Bank on Excelsior Boulevard last week.

"People everywhere, you have an assumption that nothing is going to happen, that you’re in a safe environment, you’re not taking any risks," the victim said.

Both Edina and St. Louis Park police are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the suspects.

For the man who went through this, he wants others to be extra vigilant.

"I feel grateful that I survived it for one, that I didn’t get gravely injured. I’m bruised and battered and a little bit bloodied but I’ll be fine in a few days," the victim said.

Lunds & Byerlys released a statement regarding the incidents:

"The safety of our staff and customers is always our top priority. There were recently crimes committed in the parking lots at our store in St. Louis Park and our 50th Street store in Edina. We have provided surveillance video of all incidents to the St. Louis Park and Edina police departments. We have also immediately increased our security presence at both stores to help ensure the safest working and shopping experience possible."

Anyone with information regarding any of the incidents is encouraged to call the Edina Police Department at 952-826-1610, the St. Louis Park Police Department at 952-924-2618, or CrimeStoppers at 800-222-8477.

Tips may also be submitted online at EdinaMN.gov/police or www.crimestoppersmn.org.