![John Elder, Director of the Minneapolis Police Department's Police Department's Intellectual Property Initiative, with property Thursday afternoon, October 3, 2013 that was reclaimed from pawn shops in the past day or so as part of the program. The city has a full-time Pawn Detective and is part of the Automated Pawn System to track and return pawned items that are stolen. He was photographed a conference room in the police department's property office. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.w](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/5RHFHFLLRLXPPYO65P32P6ECQM.jpg?&w=1080)
A 23-year-old Minneapolis man nabbed by police after a robbery at a Walgreens on Hiawatha Avenue has confessed to 12 other robberies at drug stores and gas stations in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Brookyn Center.
Robert Abraham Lee was arrested Sept. 8 after Minneapolis police were called to the Walgreens at 4547 Hiawatha Av. Lee had allegedly demanded Xanax from a clerk while showing the handle of a Taser -- which the clerk thought was a gun. He later forced a cashier to provide money from a drawer before walking to the nearby light rail station and hopping a bus.
Police stopped the bus and arrested Lee, who later confessed to a string of robberies that began Dec. 29 at the Winner Gas Station at 3333 Cedar Av. S. Lee said he also robbed six separate Super America stations and two Walgreens in Minneapolis, along with a CVS in Brooklyn Center and three Walgreens in St. Paul.
Five of the robberies were committed on one night: New Year's Eve. Minneapolis police spokesman John Elder said Lee sought drugs and money in his robberies.
Until this week's robbery, Elder said police had plenty of footage of Lee's crimes but no leads on a suspect. He credited the quick work of officers and bystanders who reported the latest incident and let police know Lee was headed to a bus stop.
Lee has been charged with four counts of first degree robbery in connection with the robbery of the Hiawatha Avenue Walgreens, and more charges are pending.
"We solved a lot of crimes and that's why it was a big get for us," Elder said.
