Three University of Minnesota students had their vehicles stolen in the past week, contributing to a spike in thefts on and around campus.
The Minneapolis Police Department were called to the following incidents.
A University student was robbed at gunpoint at around 10 p.m. on Sunday. The crime occurred on the 600 block of 13th Avenue Southeast near Target Express in Dinkytown. The suspect demanded valuables from the student, and struck her with the butt of the gun until she surrendered her belongings.
The suspect fled eastbound before entering a waiting vehicle parked on the corner of 6th Street Southeast and 13th Avenue Southeast. The victim required no medical attention, according to a University of Minnesota Police Department neighborhood safety notice.
A student’s parked vehicle was stolen on 7th Avenue Southeast near the Elysian Apartments at around 9 a.m. Sunday. Minneapolis police responded to the theft around 6 p.m.
The doors of the vehicle were locked when it was stolen, and no broken glass was found around the scene. The vehicle has not been found.
Another University student had her vehicle stolen at on 8th Street Southeast near Marcy Park Apartments at 7 p.m. Saturday. MPD responded around 9:58 a.m. Sunday. The student legally parked in her assigned slot when the vehicle was taken. No one had permission to take or use the vehicle.
On Thursday at 12:40 a.m., a woman reportedly had her car stolen behind the Hampton Inn & Suites in Prospect Park. The car had been running with keys left in the ignition. The crime is being investigated as the hotel has video footage of the suspects.
UMPD Professional Development Manager Shannon McGoffin said there were six thefts and a burglary on campus in the past week.
Charges have been brought to the man involved in a 38-hour standoff that started around midnight last Sunday at the Graduate Hotel near campus. 46-year-old Lincoln Bowman of Woodbury, formerly identified by police as Rashad Bowman, is now booked at Hennepin County Jail.
Hennepin County prosecutors have charged Bowman with kidnapping and false imprisonment, according to Hennepin County Jail.
“With the Super Bowl and the Graduate Hotel incident early last week, we were pretty busy,” said UMPD Lieutenant Chuck Miner.
