Helicopter patrol led 46 arrests, 12 stolen vehicles in Minneapolis
The latest crackdown on carjackings and other crimes in Minneapolis netted 46 arrests, 12 stolen vehicles and the recovery of 15 guns.
The operation led by Minneapolis Police Department, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office and the State Patrol was conducted Jan. 26-28, featuring a State Patrol helicopter that was circling parts of south Minneapolis where hundreds of carjackings took place in 2020.
"The helicopter was part of a coordinated, targeted, and multi-jurisdictional operation with the City, Hennepin County, and State to crackdown on carjackings, which increased 301% last year, and other violent crimes," MPD said Sunday.
MPD reports that there were 405 carjackings in Minneapolis in 2020.
In December, a similar police operation that utilized a helicopter resulted in 41 felony-level arrests and the recovery of seven stolen vehicles.
Police say carjacking crimes typically featured suspects approaching drivers, starting a conversation, and then stealing purses, cellphones, wallets and vehicles, sometimes at gunpoint.
Note: The details provided in this story are based on the police’s latest version of events, and may be subject to change.
