1 woman, 2 teen boys in jail after stolen car chase in Brooklyn Park; 1 suspect still at large
UPDATE 12 p.m. 9/20/22: Two teen boys and a 21-year-old woman remain in custody in connection to early-morning police chases with stolen cars, Brooklyn Park police tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
A 15-year-old boy was arrested on an outstanding warrant, a 17-year-old boy was arrested for alleged assault and fleeing police in a motor vehicle, and a 21-year-old woman was arrested for allegedly fleeing police in a motor vehicle.
Inspector Elliot Faust tells 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that Tuesday’s incident is in line with a high volume of recent vehicle thefts in a similar geographic area.
“Leading into Monday we had 19 stolen Hyundai vehicles in the last 20 days. Many were in a similar geographic location… We thank the community for being vigilant and partnering with us while we try and get a handle on this problem,” Faust said.
Six people were arrested in the events described in the initial report below. Faust says three of those people were let go because their charges “did not warrant physical custody,” or police are still investigating the extent of their involvement.
Police are still looking for the first suspect in Tuesday morning’s events. Faust says police have little information on the suspect, except that it is a male wearing yellow pants who dropped a handgun as he ran away.
Although Faust says it seems more than coincidental that two vehicles were stolen in the same area at the same time, police are still investigating whether the thefts of the Hyundai Elantra and Ford Fusion were related.
Two squad vehicles were moderately damaged Tuesday morning, and the Ford Fusion was heavily damaged and undriveable after it crashed.
An earlier version of this story is below.
INITIAL REPORT 8:18 a.m. 9/20/22: Brooklyn Park police arrested six people early Tuesday morning after a chase involving two stolen cars in the same general area.
One of the stolen cars also crashed into a squad vehicle, police add.
According to police, officers went to The Willows Apartments at 6600 67th Avenue North for a report of someone attempting to steal a Hyundai Elantra around 1:30 a.m.
Nearby patrol officers stopped a Hyundai with the same description that pulled into Eden Park Apartments, where the driver got out of the Hyundai and ran.
Police say the male suspect, whose age wasn’t provided, dropped a handgun as he ran. Police took the gun but didn’t catch the initial suspect.
Both apartment complexes mentioned above are just north of the Crystal Airport, between 63rd Avenue North and Purple Heart Trail, where they intersect Zane Avenue.
As the foot chase took place, police say a second suspect tried to drive the Hyundai away but was stopped by officers. Police arrested the second suspect, a female whose age was also not immediately provided.
Officers from a nearby agency, which was not specified, came to the area to help Brooklyn Park police with a perimeter. At that time, a Ford Fusion that police say was also stolen sped away from the area.
It is unclear if the Ford stopped or if people jumped as the vehicle moved, but police say multiple suspects got out of the Ford and ran away.
Police arrested the suspects who left the Ford, but another suspect continued to drive away, hitting a police vehicle in the process.
Police eventually stopped the Ford at a nearby park and arrested the driver. Six total arrests were made, according to Brooklyn Park police.
Three of those suspects were booked on “various charges.”
Police did not say if they believe the two vehicle thefts were related.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS is working to gather more specific details from police. Check back for updates and possible formal charges.