Mass vandalism and thefts from vehicles spread by the dozens to more Minneapolis neighborhoods

Mass break-ins and vandalism of parked vehicles have hit new Minneapolis neighborhoods just days after the first wave of assaults.

More than a dozen vehicles parked along both sides of one Uptown block were targeted early Monday, as were dozens of others in a cluster of blocks in northeast Minneapolis, owners told the Minnesota Star Tribune. Police said Monday’s vandalism totaled 70 vehicles.

Early last week — Monday into Tuesday and again Tuesday into Wednesday — the windows of dozens of vehicles in various Minneapolis neighborhoods were smashed in back-to-back overnight sprees, police said. Many of the vehicles also were burglarized.

Based on figures from police and witness accounts, more than 200 vehicles have been targeted altogether.

No arrests in connection with any of the crimes had been announced as of late Monday afternoon.

A witness in Northeast said he was awakened about 2 a.m. by the sound of breaking glass and blaring vehicle alarms and saw a blue or black sedan fleeing the scene, one police report read.

Rachel Linnemann said the driver’s side window of her car was smashed while it was parked overnight outside her Uptown home in the 2900 block of James Avenue. Camping equipment was stolen.

“It looks like at least 15 cars” up and down both sides of the block between W. Lake Street and Lagoon Avenue were targeted, she said.

“I parked it last evening and walked my dog out there,” she said. “It was about 10:30, and it was fine.”

Linnemann, a special-education teacher in the Minneapolis school district, said she’s grateful she didn’t need to drive to work.

“But everyone I saw [with windows bashed in], they had to go to work,” she said. “So, they just drove to work. I was very impressed.”

Linnemann, 30, said she moved to Uptown about four years ago and is not letting the crime send her out of the city.

More of the same occurred about the same time in a few residential blocks west of Central Avenue. A sampling of police records shows 25 vehicles near the intersection of 22nd Avenue and Madison Street NE. and another 10 in the 2000 block of Washington Street NE. were vandalized.

Sierra, who asked that her full name not be reported out of concern for her safety, said she and her boyfriend were heading out for coffee at about 8:30 a.m. and saw someone sweeping up glass near a damaged vehicle.

“I said, ‘That sucks, they got their car broken into,’ and I looked down the street and saw mine was, too,” she recalled. Sierra said some cash and a gift card were stolen.

Parked in front of her car was her boyfriend’s SUV; it was targeted in the spree as well.

Hunter, who also asked that his last name not be published over safety concerns, said he saw “safely 50″ vehicles in all that had been damaged.

The locations where last week’s vandalism and burglaries occurred were:

Loring Park, specifically near Clifton Place and Groveland Avenue; S. 13th Street and Harmon Place; W. 14th Street and Spruce Place; and La Salle Avenue and Spruce Place.

In Northeast, in the 1300 block of Industrial Boulevard; the 3300 block of NE. Broadway; the 600 block of 24th Avenue NE.; and near the intersections of Main Street and 12th Avenue NE., and 2nd Street and 3rd Avenue NE. Police said Monday that 114 vehicles were damaged in this part of town.

Police are asking anyone whose vehicle was damaged or burglarized to call 911 or 311. Reports can also be made in person at precinct headquarters or online.

Police are also encouraging people to check their security or doorbell cameras for any video that captured the vandalism and provide the images to investigators.