Crime Alerts

Woman Robbed at Gunpoint

Edina, Minn., Dec. 2, 2008 -- On Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2008, at approximately 8:30 p.m., two men overwhelmed a 52-year-old Edina woman in her garage in the 7300 block of York Avenue, shoved her into the trunk of her car and stole her purse.

Both suspects are black males in their late teens  or early 20s with stocky builds. The first suspect is 5-foot-11 to 6-foot tall, displayed a silver colored handgun, and was wearing a black knit mask over his face, a dirty white jacket and blue jeans. The other suspect is 6-foot-2 to 6-foot-4 with short natural black hair and was wearing a dark jacket and pants. The suspects may be driving an older white or light colored SUV, possibly a Jeep Cherokee or Chevrolet Blazer.

This is most likely a random incident but the Edina Police Department wants to remind everyone to be alert to your surroundings and the people around you. Using cell phones and MP3 players reduce your awareness and may make you an easier target. Park in well lighted areas, and call 9-1-1 anytime you see or hear anything suspicious.

For crime prevention information, contact Crime Prevention Coordinator Amy Grannes, 952-833-9523 or police@ci.edina.mn.us.

Phone Scam

Edina, Minn., Nov. 24, 2008 -- “The Grandparent Scam” works like this: A scammer calls a person and identifies themselves as the victim’s grandchild. The “grandchild” tells the victim that he’s had a major crisis and is in need of money quickly. The grandchild then asks that money be wired through Moneygram or Western Union, sometimes to a Wal-Mart in Canada.

Avoid being a victim. Never give out any personal information. Always be suspicious of something that has to be done immediately, ask a lot of specific personal questions and contact other family members before sending any money. Keep in mind that an urgent request to wire money is often a sign of a scam.

If you have any questions or would like more information, call Amy Grannes, Crime Prevention Coordinator, at the Edina Police Department, 952-833-9523 or email police@ci.edina.mn.us.
 

Residential Burglaries

Recently, the east side of Edina has experienced an increase in residential burglary. These burglaries are happening in the early morning hours and the burglars are entering homes through ground-level windows. 

Detective Dave Carlson, lead investigator of these incidents, encourages all residents  to “ Call 9-1-1 at any time for anything suspicious. We need and appreciate help from the public so we can apprehend the people committing these burglaries. And please lock your windows and doors; make it harder and more time consuming for someone to break in. Lights around the exterior of the house are a good idea, too. But I can’t emphasize strongly enough the importance of calling us if your dog suddenly starts barking at 3 a.m. or you think you see someone in your backyard.”

The Edina Police Department is available to come to your home and assess its security. There is no charge for this service. Call 952-826-1610 to request a Security Survey.