Police: 10 Boys Steal St. Paul Man's Car With His 2 Children Inside
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The St. Paul Police Department says a 30-year-old man's car was stolen from outside of his home on Sunday with his 8-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter in the backseats.
An incident report says police officers spoke to the car's owner, who had bruises on his hands, face and legs.
The victim told officers that his family was going out to eat, and he had just put his children in the family's van, near the 500 block of Virginia Street. He says while he was adjusting a car seat a group of 10 teenagers came onto him and knocked him to the ground.
Some of the suspects went through his pockets and took his wallet, while another allegedly got into the van and began driving way with the children inside.
The suspect allegedly drove the car to the intersection of Sherburne Avenue and Virginia Street, before getting out of the car, getting into another vehicle, and leaving the scene.
Later that day, an officer at the Target store on University Avenue saw a group of boys attempting to buy gift cards with the man's credit card. When the officer approached the group, they ran away on foot.
Several officers responded to the area and arrested seven of the suspects. Five of the boys were 16-year-olds, while two were 15-year-olds.
They were arrested on charges of aggravated robbery, kidnapping, financial transaction fraud and committing a crime to benefit a gang.
