University of Minnesota police broke up a crowd of 200 dancers that clogged Cedar Avenue late last Wednesday.

Both Minneapolis and University police officers responded to a call about loud music in the area and found a group of more than 200 people spilling across Cedar Avenue, blocking traffic in both directions.

There was no explanation of why the group was there, which University police Lt. Erik Swanson  said was strange.

âÄúThe lingering question is: What was the function of having 200 people in the street?âÄù he said.

Swanson said it was possible that officers simply didnâÄôt ask the Cedar Avenue dancers. However, he thought it was uncommon that the incident wasnâÄôt a political protest or a celebration, like after a football win.

The group was using two large speakers, which led Swanson to believe that the event was planned in advance, he said.

It wasnâÄôt likely that it was sponsored by a bar or restaurant, since an official event would require a permit so Minneapolis police would have been aware of it, Swanson said.

The majority of the crowd centered near PalmerâÄôs Bar on Cedar Avenue.

Officers managed to clear the crowd and shut off the music at approximately 11:30 p.m.

One man was cited for failing to obey a police order, a misdemeanor in Minnesota.

Swanson said the dancers werenâÄôt aggressive toward officers.

âÄúBut if theyâÄôre blocking the north- and south-bound lanes of traffic, then thatâÄôs rowdy enough,âÄù Swanson said.

Teens burglarize Como home

Four minors were arrested Thursday in connection with a house burglary near Como Avenue  Southeast.

Just before 8 p.m., Warren Gardner, 25, saw four teenage girls stealing electronics inside his home near the intersection of Como and 17th avenues southeast.

Gardner had never seen the four 16-year-olds before, he said. The girls took GardnerâÄôs laptop and computer mouse, headphones, digital camera and a roommateâÄôs Nintendo Wii.

Gardner, whose parents own the house, said he had only left the residence for about 20 minutes when he discovered the four girls in the home. He suspected they may have been waiting in the neighborhood, watching for residents leaving homes.

He chased the four girls on foot and managed to recover everything in the intersection of 15th and Talmage avenues southeast, where the girls left the items.

âÄúWhen I caught the one, I yelled at the rest to stop,âÄù Gardner said. âÄúOne of them looked back at me with a terrified look, and simply said âÄòWhy?âÄôâÄù

GardnerâÄôs neighbors called the police after they watched the girls running out of his house.

Minneapolis police Sgt. Steve McCarty said the incident was unique. Burglary crimes normally arenâÄôt committed by females, he said.

âÄúWhen you think of your typical burglars, you think of males,âÄù McCarty said. âÄúMore often than not, itâÄôs males.âÄù

Though the four alleged thieves had fled the scene in opposite directions by the time Minneapolis police responded to the call, they were later located, arrested and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center in Minneapolis. All four were charged with burglary of dwelling felonies.

McCarty said burglaries arenâÄôt necessarily more frequent in the Southeast Como neighborhood than in other parts of the city. Gardner said he wasnâÄôt aware of any other recent burglaries in the area.