Saint Paul Police Respond To Back-To-Back Carjackings, Robberies

SAINT PAUL, MN — The Saint Paul Police Department stayed busy Wednesday night as officers responded to a series of back-to-back carjackings and robberies in the area.

Police said the first took place at 6:15 p.m. on University Avenue, and the last ended when the suspects crashed into an ambulance on the ramp from westbound I-94 to northbound I-35E.

Officers said those suspects, a 15-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy, took off running but were quickly apprehended by officers. The pair are now facing charges for robbery and auto theft.

Here’s a look at how the evening unfolded, according to police:

6:15 p.m. – Robbery-Carjacking: Officers were called to the 1000 block of University Avenue for a robbery/ carjacking. A 35-year-old woman was walking to her 2013 Chevy Equinox after work when she saw a dark-colored SUV entered the parking lot at a high rate of speed. A female jumped out of the suspect vehicle and demanded the woman’s purse and keys, which she got. The dark-colored SUV drove away with two males inside while the female suspect drove off in the victim’s vehicle. Officers were called and they began looking for the suspects.

6:25 p.m. – Aggravated Robbery: A 34-year-old man was parking his 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan on the 800 block of Rice Street when a male with a handgun opened the driver’s door. He racked the slide while demanding the victim’s belongings. The victim exited his vehicle and ran into a store to call 911. The suspect was joined by another male and together they drove away in the victim’s car. The vehicle in which they arrived followed them, driven by a third suspect.

7:14 p.m. – Aggravated Robbery: Officers were called to the 1600 block of Taylor after a 21-year-old man was exiting his Jeep Cherokee was confronted by two suspects with handguns who jumped out of a dark-colored SUV. They demanded the victim’s wallet and phone then asked if the victim’s vehicle had GPS tracking. It did, so they didn’t take it. But they did drive away with his cell phone, wallet and keys.

7:16 p.m. – Aggravated Robbery-Carjacking: Two 21-year-old victims were getting out of a 2016 Chevy Impala when they were approached by two males who got out of a black Audi. The male suspects pointed guns at the victims and demanded their wallets and cell phones. The victims were asked by the suspects if their vehicle had GPS tracking and they said “no.” The suspects stole the vehicle and drove away, followed by the Audi.

8:21 p.m. – Aggravated Robbery: Officers responded to the area of East Seventh and Cypress for a robbery at gunpoint. The victim, a 26-year-old male, was sitting in his vehicle when a black SUV pulled up next to him. An unknown male got out and asked the victim for help with his SUV’s tire that possibly had an issue. The victim agreed to help and while looking at the tire, the male suspect pointed a gun at the victim and demanded his belongings. The victim gave up his wallet and the suspect got back in the SUV and drove away.

8:50 p.m. – Aggravated Robbery and Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle: Extra officers were out looking for the suspects and the black Audi SUV they’d been using. They found it at Third and Bates and tried to stop it. The driver fled, officers followed. Ultimately, the Audi crashed into an ambulance at I-94 and I-35E. Nobody in the ambulance was injured). Two suspects took off on foot and officers quickly flooded the area. Two juveniles—a 17-year-old male and a 15-year-old male—were arrested a short time later for robbery and auto theft.

"It was quite a night. We’re proud of the work our officers did and thankful nobody was seriously (physically) injured," the department said on its official Facebook page.

The police department has responded to more than 2,500 calls since Monday morning.