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MPD HIGHLIGHTS for the week of 9 June – 15 June 2009

CITYWIDE TRENDS The MPLS total violent crime rate is 18.7% lower in this year-to-date period than in 2008. MPLS has had 5 homicides this year to date (70.6% decrease from YTD 2008). Robberies 26.2% decrease this year-to-date. Aggravated assaults fell by 13.3% year-to-date compared with this YTD in 2008. Rape has decreased by 7.1% this year-to-date over last year-to-date. Total property crimes decreased 15.7% in this year-to-date period. Burglaries decreased 7% YTD compared to YTD in 2008. Arson has increased 6.6% YTD over 2008. A total of 281 weapons have been placed into evidence thus far in 2009.		1st PRECINCT	2nd PRECINCT	3rd PRECINCT	4th PRECINCT	5th PRECINCT
		8 St/Nicollet Mall: Suspect entered a pharmacy and, feigning a weapon, threatened an employee. The suspect then fled with a large quantity of Vicodin. No one was injured. CID investigating	18 ½ Av/Jackson St NE: Officers were dispatched to a report of an assault. Officers located the victim, who had a severe cut on his head. The victim reported that he had been arguing over a bottle of vodka and some cigarettes with the suspect when the suspect assaulted him with the bottle of vodka. Victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Suspect was located and booked. Arrested/ASSAULT 2 CID investigating	4500 blk Bloomington: A pizza delivery driver was exiting her vehicle when a suspect approached her, holding a baseball bat. Suspect demanded money from the victim, who gave it to him. Suspect then fled the area. CID investigating	6 St N/51 Av N: Officers responded to a call of shots fired and a person down on the sidewalk. When officers arrived, they found one victim shot in the leg; the other victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers were able to obtain suspect information. Case investigation continues. CID investigating	2900 blk Pillsbury Av S: 14 businesses were burglarized.  Suspect entered through one of the north entrance doors and then used bolt cutters to enter the business mall area by cutting lock on the iron gates. Suspect information developed by reviewing surveillance video. Precinct investigating
		1 Av S/4 St N: Victim walked into precinct station to report that he had been assaulted. The victim had been confronted several days earlier by three suspects, one of whom knocked him out. He later went to the hospital and discovered that his eye had been gouged and that he had several broken bones in one arm. Victim is familiar with the suspects and could identify them if seen again. CID investigating	U of MN area: Three home burglaries have taken place, all when the residents were at home. Suspect is described as a heavy set black male, 35-45 years, 509-6 feet tall, balding with grey hair, always wearing blue shorts while the rest of the clothing varies. Suspect has been walking in unlocked dwellings and has twice threatened the use of a pistol; no gun has ever been displayed.  Losses include laptops and other electronics.  Precinct investigating	2500 blk Cedar Av S: Several males were in a fight when one pulled out a knife. The knife slipped from this person’s hand and landed in the street. Another male then picked it up and stabbed two other men. Both were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening wounds. Suspect information developed based on witness accounts. CID investigating	3300 blk Dupont Av N: The victim and her friend were at the victim’s home. According to the friend, another unknown friend came over with a gun. The two friends were handling a gun when it went off. The victim received a gunshot wound to her eye which was not life-threatening. The friend was arrested and taken to the Juvenile Division for processing. Arrested/ASSAULT 2 CID investigating	2600 blk 1 Av S: Officers responded to a call of a stabbing. Upon arrival, the victim told officers that two males approached him and one of them pulled a knife and placed it on his throat. The victim tried to move the knife but his hand got cut. The same suspect then took the knife and stabbed him in the right hip. The victim was transported to Abbott Northwestern Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. CID investigating
Investigations Units ~ Special Operations ~ Joint Task Forces ~ Support Operations
Narcotics Unit	Day cases: 22 cases assigned, 14 submitted for charging, 4 tab-charged, 2 on-going, 1 unfounded, 1 rerouted, and 14 complaints signed. Operations Investigating: Precinct 3: Ongoing investigation into heroin organization that distributes in 3rd Precinct and St. Paul.  This organization uses a “dispatch” method with numerous runners making deliveries/drops.  Warrants drafted for case and to be served shortly.     Investigating: Precinct 5: Officers worked with Assault Unit on a shooting at 28 St E/Blaisdell Av S.  Suspect vehicle involved in the shooting is owned by the arrested party in a search warrant served approximately a month ago where a large amount of marijuana and two handguns (one which was stolen) were recovered.  Officers had obtained prints from narcotics packaging and were matched to prints at shooting scene.  Officers presented case to County Attorney and are awaiting charges. Suspect is a documented Latin King. Charged: First Degree Sale of Narcotics: Officers with the assistance of Southwest Drug Taskforce and ICE executed a search warrant in suburban community.  This was a cocaine source that distributes large amounts of Cocaine in the Southwest Metro and the 3rd Precinct. Officers recovered 182 grams of cocaine, $1,000.00 and two vehicles. Two targets arrested and charged in Scott County for first Degree Sale. Pharmaceutical Investigating: Investigation of suspect who located a website that lists all Doctors NPI#s and used this information to forge hundreds of prescriptions in the metro area. Suspect used five different alias and used 13 different doctor numbers.  Suspect was selective and only frequented pharmacies in downtown area.  Suspect gave confession and provide his “handbook” where he had listed every forgery he had completed/attempted for past several months in which he had obtained significant quantities of scheduled narcotics. Asset Forfeiture Investigating: Working case with Narcotics Operations team to seize funds in bank account.  Ongoing investigation to determine if additional assets are involved with drug trafficker and other suspects in case. Case presented for charging: Presented a case to County Attorney for formal decision on charges against two suspects for Theft by Swindle of Schedule II Narcotics (presenting prescriptions for significant quantities of narcotics substances, paying by check and then cancelling check immediately).
Robbery Unit	Cases: 17 cases Robbery of Person, 2 assigned; 10 cases Aggravated Robbery (including Auto), 4 assigned; 5 Robberies of Business, 4 assigned; 0 cases unfounded; 0 cases closed by arrest; 1 case exceptionally cleared; 7 cases transferred to another unit; 15 cases open pending further info; 9 cases open Investigating: Robbery of Businesses: 2847 Johnson St NE & 2647 Central Av NE: Suspect, armed with a pistol, entered the pharmacy and robbed the employees at gunpoint. The suspect fled on foot with OxyContin, a controlled substance, worth in excess of $15,000.00. The same suspect entered the second business less than 15 hours after the first pharmacy robbery and held up the lone pharmacist at gunpoint. The suspect fled with more OxyContin, with a retail value in excess of $10,000.00. This suspect robbed the first pharmacy in January and escaped with a similar loss valued in excess of $10,000.00. The Crime Lab located a fingerprint which was identified as belonging to Adam William Ivers, 5/2/82. Ivers was subsequently identified by employees in all three robberies in photo arrays. VCAT located and arrested Ivers in Robbinsdale. Cash and part of the OxyContin loss was recovered. Investigating: Attempted Robbery of Business: 4600 blk Nicollet Av S: Female suspect entered the business and announced a robbery. The clerk chased the suspect out of the business with a knife. The suspect got onto a bicycle and fled the scene.
Sex Crimes Unit	Cases: 27 cases routed; 16 assigned; 5 in-custody arrests Investigating: CSCR: 200 blk 62 St W: A female victim reported being grabbed by an unknown male suspect and dragged into a black pickup truck where she was raped.   No further description available.  Victim sustained injuries to her face, neck and arms.  Charged: 4th Degree CSCR: Tony Sebastian Turk was charged for soliciting sex from a minor.  Turk, a 38 year old male, sent sexually explicit text messages to a 12 year old female.  Charged: 1st Degree CSCR: Mergersa Ensermu Borana was charged for assaulting a female acquaintance. The victim went to a male’s apartment where several other males were present.  Borana followed her into the bathroom and violently assaulted her with an object which caused bleeding.  Borana fled the scene, but later turned himself into police.
Predatory Offender Registration	PORS initiated 4 new CAPRS cases of Failure to register, 2 of which were arrests made by the PORS team. 4 complaints were signed. 5 cases were submitted for charging review. Current total non-compliant in Minneapolis: 130 (130 the previous week) Total Offenders who reside, work or go to school in Minneapolis is 2,045 (Last week 2036) Total number of level 3 offenders in Minneapolis: 116 (114 last week)
Special Operations Division	Traffic & Accident Investigations Unit: Traffic Officers made 633 stops last week and of those stops, issued 723 citations and made 41 arrests.  Officers also investigated 23 accidents; Accident Investigations assigned 22 cases. Pedestrian Accident: 39 Av S/Lake St E: Officers were dispatched to a personal injury accident and found a car that had been westbound on Lake St had run off of the road and onto the sidewalk on the north side of Lake St.  The car struck a pedestrian that was standing at a bus stop.  The car then struck a bench and bus shelter.  The pedestrian suffered great bodily harm injuries and is currently at HCMC in critical condition.  At this time HCMC staff expects the victim to survive but with ongoing/lifetime injuries.  The driver of the car was found to be under the influence of alcohol; a portable breath test showed her blood alcohol level at .19 (over twice the legal limit).  She was tested for alcohol by blood draw.  She was booked HCJ for Criminal Vehicular Operation.  The Traffic Unit conducted a preliminary investigation of the crash and mapped the scene. Pedestrian Accident: 7/Penn Av N: Officers responded to a personal injury accident involving small child being struck by vehicle. A 2002 Toyota Highlander, driving southbound on Penn, was just starting to move from stopped in slow traffic when a child ran eastbound into the street and was hit by the front of the vehicle. The child went under the full length of the vehicle and exited the rear. The child may have had a broken arm from back tire running over arm. Bomb Unit: Assisted Anoka County Sheriff Office with three pieces of military ordnance that was found at a residence in Oak Grove. The artillery shells were x-rayed and transported to bomb range for disposal. ▪ 10 St/Hennepin Av S: Responded to a suspicious bag which was gone when squads arrived. ▪ 19 St/13 Av S: Responded to a suspicious suitcase, which was x-rayed and cleared. ▪ 13 St/Harmon Place: Responded to a suspicious package. The package was examined with a robot, x-rayed and cleared. Arson: Charged: Suspect from last week’s vehicle arson spree was charged with five counts of Arson in the Second Degree.  The suspect is being held in the Hennepin County Jail in lieu of $75,000 dollars bail. Public Housing Unit: Precinct 2: Conducted directed patrol in several public housing buildings; all quiet in all locations. Precinct 3: 1707 3 Av S: Met with property manager regarding recent issues in the building. Conducted a knock and talk regarding suspicious activities in this same building. Met with Project Lookout personnel; received information. Precinct 4: 315 Lowry: Advised property manager regarding recent arrestee. 5210 Camden: Officers had received information regarding recent narcotics activity. Advised property manager and contacted Fourth Precinct CRT. Precinct 5: 3400 Colfax Av S: Attempted several knock-and-talks to try and locate a rape suspect; suspect is gone, along with all of his property. SWAT: Assisted Fourth Precinct and Park Police with security at Juneteenth celebration. No major incidents to report. WARRANT SERVICE: 2900 blk Hubbard Av N, Robbinsdale: Looking for pharmacy robbery suspect who was not located. ▪ 1800 blk 25 Av N: Assisted Precinct 1 CRT; quantity of marijuana recovered. ▪ 2600 blk Logan Av N: Assisted Precinct 4 CRT. Two grams of marijuana recovered. ▪ 3700 blk 6 St N: Assisted Hennepin County Narcotics team. SOD Patrol: Made 55 traffic/suspicious vehicle stops, 6 suspicious person stops; made 14 misdemeanor arrests; 1 gross misdemeanor/felony arrest. Precinct 4: 2800 blk Oliver Av N: Officers responded to a domestic assault. One arrested for Domestic Assault 2. ▪ Broadway/Girard Av N: Officers assisted with a double shooting scene. ▪ Newton/Olson Highway Frontage Rd: Officers stopped a car that was wanted in a recent homicide. They took the occupants to room 108 where the occupants were interviewed. ▪ 42 Av N/Lyndale Av N: Responded to personal injury accident. ▪ 4100 blk Thomas Av N: Assisted Precinct 4 officers on an unknown trouble call.  Call evolved into an emotionally disturbed individual who was refusing to exit the house.  An incident response team was established; however, the suspect ended up coming out of the home voluntarily. K9 Bullets: 15 St/Nicollet Av S: K9 officer located an occupied stolen vehicle. Two suspects were taken into custody. ▪ 36 St E/Cedar Av S: K9 officer located an occupied stolen vehicle. One suspect was booked for auto theft and numerous felony warrants. Competition: Eight K9 teams participated in the Region 18 USPCA K9 Trials, hosted by Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office. 95 K9 teams from around the region participated in the trial. Seven MPD K9 teams received their certification; five of those teams scored high enough to qualify for the National Field Trials held in September. Officer Hodgin and K9 Tadgh took second place in the suspect search and evidence search categories. Sgt. May and K9 Elvis finished in eleventh place overall, and Officer Hodgin and K9 Tadgh finished in 18th place overall.
Juvenile Division	Investigations: Cases: 72 routed; 34 assigned Investigating: Assault 2: 3300 blk Blaisdell Av S: The victim was threatened with a knife while at a local gym. The suspects are known. Investigating: Robbery of Business: 1100 blk Spring St NE: A small grocery store was robbed at gunpoint. The suspect was later arrested by VCAT. Charged: Aggravated Robbery: 800 blk 11 Av S: Case originally assigned in May to Sgt. Metcalf. The investigation resulted in the suspect being charged by the county attorney’s office with first degree aggravated robbery. A companion case involving a robbery with a BB gun was also solved. School Resource Officers: Nothing to report; have a good summer!
Forensic Division	Photo Lab: 289 photos created, 23 evidentiary photos processed, 3 rolls of film processed; 0 CDs copied; 33 photo CDs backed up. Firearms: Examined: 29 guns; 2 bullets; 80 discharged casings; 30 IBIS entries. 19 positive and 2 inconclusive ID’s made. Field Operations: Processed 31 crime scenes and 452 items of evidence. Examined 66 latents, identifying 6 latents and 1 suspect.  Made 35 MAFIN entries. Highlight: Burglary of Dwelling: 3rd Precinct: Recovered latent prints at the scene and identified a suspect.  At the same time MAFIN personnel were identifying the same suspect in a 2nd Precinct case. Highlight: Robbery of Business: 2nd Precinct: After watching the tape at the scene from one of the pharmacy robberies, latents were developed on a ball the suspect was handling prior to the robbery and a suspect was identified. Forensic Garage: 6 vehicles processed. MAFIN: 20 MAFIN entries made with 11 hits.  880 reverse searches and 1600 comparisons.  13 verifications made.  9 latents entered. Highlights: 09-165869 hit on burglary of dwelling case. Video: Analyzed 11 video/cd/dvds; made 9 video copies; 24 still prints and 5 photo discs. 11 other procedures performed. Computer Forensics: 3 new requests for forensics media examinations.  29 examinations pending.  2 media examinations completed.  71 on going pro-active examinations related to child pornography. Highlights:  9 Subpoenas sent to internet providers to identify child porn distributors. ▪ Assisted ICE with search warrant in order to make preliminary examination on site.  Child pornography files located on the hard drive and an admission obtained from suspect. ▪ Suspect indicted by federal grand jury agreed to turn himself in to Off. Hanson after pickup attempts failed. ▪ Two child pornography cases referred to other units or agencies: 1 to Plymouth and 1 to MPD Sex Crimes. ▪ Saint Paul PD executed a search warrant on a case developed by this unit leading to the retrieval of a large number of child pornography files.
Motor Vehicle Theft Program	Investigating: Bait vehicles were deployed last week and there was an activation in 3rd Precinct. The tape will be reviewed to see if a suspect can be identified. Investigating: A Honda was processed for evidence.
MPD/ATF Weapons Task Force	Investigating: The MPD/ATF Weapons Task Force assigned 3 cases for investigation, 2 cases were presented and charged, 1 case was closed by arrest. Investigating: Assisted ATF with an ongoing investigation.
Support Services	Processed: 920 Property Inventories; 334 Booking Sheets
CODEFOR PATTERNS & ACTIONS
1st Precinct: Overall violent crime is 4.85% lower than at this time in 2008. Property crime rates decreased 20.3% compared to the same time frame in 2008. 2nd Precinct: Total violent crimes have decreased 23.7% over this time frame last year; overall property crime is down 7.1%. 3rd Precinct: Violent crime fell 23.1% year-to-date compared with last year. Property crime fell 24.2% YTD in 2009 compared to 2008.       4th Precinct: Violent crimes decreased 10.5% YTD compared to 2008. Property crime increased 0.78% YTD compared to last year. 5th Precinct: Violent crime rates have decreased by 32.8% over last year at this time. Property crimes have decreased 19.6% thus far in 2009.