1 suspect, 13 holdups, pinned to a sketch

Minneapolis police say the man has hit at least 13 businesses, most of them with a lone woman working.

Star Tribune

Last update: October 20, 2009 - 12:09 AM

Minneapolis police released a composite sketch Monday of a man they say has held up at least 13 small businesses in the southern part of the city over the past month and made off with cash and merchandise.

The suspect hit an establishment Monday afternoon near the intersection of Cedar Avenue S. and 38th Street after holding up two businesses over the weekend, one on Franklin Avenue and the other at 55th and Penn Avenue S. He first struck Sept. 16, said Jesse Garcia, a police spokesman.

The suspect has hit dry cleaners, jewelry stores, gift shops and other small businesses in the Third and Fifth precincts. In nearly all of the robberies, he struck businesses with a lone female employee working behind the register, police said.

"He walks in, asks for assistance, then pulls out a knife," Garcia said. "He orders the employee to give him the money, or he just opens the register and pulls the money out."

In most of the incidents, the suspect has ordered the employee to lie on the floor and then has run off. In one case, an employee suffered minor injuries during a scuffle with the suspect. In two cases, the suspect claimed he had a gun, but no firearm was seen, police said in a crime alert issued last week.

The robber is described as between 25 and 40 years old. He is believed to be between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 9 inches, with a medium to heavy build and is neatly dressed. He wore a baseball cap or skullcap during some of the robberies, police said.

In one case, the suspect was seen leaving in a older-model, boxy, full-size van. The vehicle was a dull maroon, and the right rear door had a circular pattern, possibly where a spare tire was kept, police said. The vehicle had Minnesota plates, according to a crime alert.

Anybody with information is asked to call the Minneapolis Police Department's tips line at 612-692-8477.

TIM HARLOW

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