A group of three men who cruised around the south metro in a stolen vehicle allegedly committing a string of armed robberies Wednesday evening ended their joy ride by crashing a into a police squad car, authorities said.
Apple Valley police arrested two men and one teenage boy in connection with the crash.
The drama began just before 5 p.m., when Apple Valley officers were dispatched to a business near Cedar Avenue on a report of an armed robbery. A victim reported being robbed at gunpoint in the parking lot by two men who had fled the scene.
At 6:08 p.m., an armed robbery was reported in nearby Eagan. The suspect description matched the first incident, only this time, there was a third man with the gun-wielding group.
Within a half-hour, the suspects reappeared in Burnsville, allegedly holding up someone else. Minutes later, they sped back to Apple Valley, where a fourth armed robbery was reported.
When Apple Valley police spotted the suspect vehicle in a Home Depot parking lot, the driver sped away. In its attempt to flee, the car struck another incoming squad car. Minor injuries were reported.
Officers later learned that the vehicle had been stolen from Minneapolis earlier in the day.
Liz Sawyer • 612-673-4648
