Raising teenagers is harrowing. It is confusing, hard and often goes unrewarded. And, while we raise our kids and try to protect them from the world, we cannot always be there to make sure they make the right choices. This is, unfortunately, what some local families are dealing with now as four teens were arrested on robbery allegations.
The alleged robberies
Early Saturday morning, according to the Minneapolis Police Department, they responded to an aggravated robbery on Stevens Avenue South. This was the second reported aggravated robbery in the area. After speaking with the victims of both robberies, and getting information on the alleged suspect, they found the suspects’ vehicle at a nearby gas station.
The arrests
According to MPD, when they attempted to approach the vehicle, the vehicle fled. However, the driver struct a cement barrier next to the gas pumps. Three of the suspects were arrested on the scene, but one fled.
The teen was later found and arrested. MPD claims that both robbery victims identified the suspects as the alleged robbers, and all of the teens (all aged 16 to 17) were taken to the Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center.
After an arrest
For Saint Cloud, and Minnesota resident residents generally, the first bit of advice is to keep silent, and ask for an attorney. For minors, ask for an attorney and to contact their parents. Do not speak to anything the officers allege, and simply repeat requests for an attorney and parents. Once the parents are involved, the first call should be to an attorney. Crafting a criminal defense strategy early can be the key to salvaging one’s record.