MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minneapolis Police Department is asking for the public’s help to identify a man who they believe robbed three Walgreens pharmacies in the past five days.

Police say the latest incident occurred Wednesday morning, around 7:45 a.m. The suspect entered the Walgreens on the 2400 block of Hennepin Avenue South, flashed a handgun and made his demands, before fleeing the store with the loss.

The other incidents occurred just after 9 a.m. Friday at the Walgreens on the 3200 block of West Lake Street and around 8:30 a.m. Sunday at a Walgreens on the 500 block of Blake Road North in Hopkins.

The suspect is described as a white man in his 20s, between 5-foot-10 and 6-feet-tall with a thin build and light colored goatee.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information. Tips can be made by calling 1-800-222-8477(TIPS), text TIP674 plus your information to 274637(CRIMES) or by going to the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppersmn.org and click on “Give a Tip.” All callers are given a unique identifier and no names are used.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The husband of a nursing assistant has been sentenced to three years in prison for helping to steal more than $120,000 from vulnerable adults that were under her care.

Fifty-five-year-old Ronald Bila Shaka, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty on April 6 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Shaka admitted that in May of 2006, he and his wife, 31-year-old Sherita Scott-Kelley, use stolen financial information that belonged to a resident at one of the residential facilities where Scott-Kelley worked.

Shaka admitted that he used a stolen debit card of one victim to withdraw $20,000 from the victim’s bank account.

Scott-Kelley was a certified nursing assistant and was employed as a personal care attendant and home health aide, where she provided services to elderly and vulnerable adults in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and adult group homes.

Scott-Kelley was sentenced to nearly four years in prison in September on two counts of aiding and abetting bank fraud and one count of aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft.

Scott-Kelley admitted to accessing person identification and financial information from victims under her care as well as obtaining and cashing checks drawn from victims’ accounts.

In total, Scott-Kelley admitted to taking between $120,000 and $200,000 from victims.

ASHLAND, Wis. (WCCO) – Officers in Ashland, Wis. say they pulled a 22-year-old woman from her car after she led them on a chase and set herself on fire.

According to the police department, officers responding to a welfare check Tuesday evening were led through the city of Ashland after the woman took off in a vehicle, driving without a license.

The woman drove at speeds above 50 miles per hour, and would stop and taunt officers to goad them into continuing chase, police said.

After they deployed stop sticks, police saw the woman pour a liquid on herself and light herself on fire with a lighter.

Officers said they broke the window, grabbed her out of the vehicle and extinguished the flames with snow.

The woman was taken to the hospital before being taken into protective custody. She may face criminal charges.

An officer also sustained a hand injury from breaking the car window.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two men were indicted in Minneapolis Federal Court on Wednesday in connection with the armed robbery of a Champlin bank on Oct. 26.

Laurence DeAngelo Williamson, 20, and Boyd Jerome Morson II, 20, both of Brooklyn Park, have each been charged with one count of armed bank robbery in connection with the incident.

According to the indictment, Williamson and Morson entered the First Minnesota Bank in Champlin and stole about $13,500 from the bank while threatening the lives with others by using a handgun.

According to court documents, the bank was robbed at about 10 a.m. on Oct. 26 by two men wearing hoods and masks. One of the men jumped the counter and pointed a gun at a bank teller while the other man went to the vice president’s office and ordered the vice president to open the bank’s safe. Once that was open, the men told three bank employees to fill a backpack with money.

The two men then ordered all employees on the floor before fleeing the bank.  Shortly after the robbery, police responded to a vehicle fire in Brooklyn Park. The vehicle matched the description of the vehicle that was seen at the bank during the robbery. Witnesses reported seeing a car explode, then seeing a Cadillac leaving the area.

Police then conducted surveillance on Morson’s residence because he was a person of interest in the incident. He was eventually found with Williamson during a traffic stop, and authorities searched the car and found the backpack that was used in the robbery.

Authorities also seized a 9-millimeter pistol, two license plates that had been removed from a burned vehicle and a piece of a cash-counting machine. Authorities also found nearly $9,000 at Morson’s residence.

If convicted, Morson and Williamson each face up to 25 years in prison.

BELLE PLAINE, Minn. (WCCO) — There’s an old saying about cats having nine lives. A horse in Belle Plaine is living up to that same theory.

Deke, a thoroughbred racing horse, is recovering from a gunshot to the face and that isn’t his only brush with death.

When Angela Sniffin bought Deke nearly three years ago, the idea was for him to quietly live out his days in a Belle Plaine pasture.

“We had plans for a great retirement for him, lots of walking and trail riding,” said Sniffin, Deke’s owner.

On Sunday morning, Angela discovered that someone invaded Deke’s peaceful retreat.

“This is an entrance for the first bullet on the side of his face,” said Sniffin, as she pointed out one of the horse’s injuries.

Two bullet marks near his neck showed Deke was on the receiving end of a small caliber handgun.  At first, Sniffin thought it was an accident. Then, she noticed another horse she owned, Buddy, had a gunshot wound to his leg.

“It’s pointing at someone deliberately shooting them for sport,” said Sniffin.

To say Deke is lucky is a bit of an understatement.  In 2009, the thoroughbred escaped the slaughterhouse when his racing days ended and his hind legs show the scars of another serious injury.

Deke survived what the veterinarian believed was a cougar attack.

“That took a long time of medication and perseverance and getting him through that,” said Sniffin.

“Most people, as soon as vet bills add up or feed bills, they discard horses,” said Jen Hungerford, a friend of Sniffin’s.

For Sniffin, giving up on her horse was never an option.

“We’ve been through a lot together and he knows I’m going to do what it takes.  What’s in his best interest to make sure he’s ok,” said Sniffin.

If anything, she believes his setbacks have strengthened their bond.

“I think he’s going to make it to a nice old retirement age.  He’s a tough horse,” said Sniffin.

Sniffin even took on a second job to pay the vet bills rather than get rid of her horse. The Scott County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities recovered Thursday the body of a missing woman near Ortonville, Minn.

Renata Fernandez-Ramon, 30, had been missing since Oct. 6. Authorities uncovered her body after a landowner reported a freshly dug area on his property.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner identified the body Friday.

Police say there is no threat to the public and the cause of death remains under investigation.

Fernandez-Ramon’s boyfriend Jose Francisco Munoz-Teran moved to Mexico with the couple’s two children on Oct. 7, the after Fernandez-Ramon went missing authorities said.

Authorities declined to say if Munoz-Teran was a suspect in this case.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Police arrested a man suspected of robbing three Walgreens in the metro area this month.

Sgt. William Palmer of Minneapolis Police said Saturday that Vincent Mark Smith is in custody.

Smith allegedly robbed a Walgreens on the 3200 hundred block of Lake Street in Minneapolis on Nov. 18. Two days later, on Nov. 20, he allegedly struck again in Hopkins at a Walgreens located on the 500 block of Blake Road North. Then on Nov. 23, he robbed a Walgreen’s on the 2400 block of Hennepin Avenue South.

All of these robberies occurred at or before 9 a.m. Authorities said Smith flashed a gun at Walgreens employees.

Police are still investigating.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The Minneapolis bicycling community honored a cyclist who was killed on his way to synagogue.

Thomas Malloy died two weeks ago crossing Franklin Avenue and West River Parkway. On Sunday, dozens of bicyclists held a memorial in his honor.

A ghost bike was placed at the area where Malloy lost his life. The program hopes to raise awareness about the dangers cyclists face.

After a brief service bikers rode to the synagogue where Malloy never made it to that day.

“It’s an opportunity to honor him and hope for that this never happens again because it’s a tragedy and none should have to go through what his family is going through right now,” said Ethan Fawley with the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition.

Wesley Gubbin has been charged with killing Malloy. He turned himself into police hours after it happened.

ORTONVILLE, Minn. (WCCO) — After missing for weeks, the body of a missing woman was found buried in someone’s yard.

Police say 30-year old Renata Fernandez-Ramon had been missing since early October. Investigators say her family left the country just one day after she went missing.

Police found her body after a homeowner reported a freshly dug area on his property in Ortonville, which is about three hours west of the Twin Cities, near the South Dakota border.

At first, it was the news of a missing woman that riveted the town of about 2,000 people.

“There have been a lot of rumors going around,” said Ortonville resident Joni Cole.

When they learned Fernandez-Ramon’s body was found buried nearby, they were in disbelief.

“People are really shocked because it’s a small town and that usually does not happen out here,” said Ortonville resident Melanie Rheaume. “I don’t think there’s been very many murders at all.”

Collegues said Fernandez-Ramon’s worked at the Monarch Heights Disability Services Center about a year ago.

“I was shocked that she was gone,” said director of staff Chad Karels. He described her as friendly.

“She would say hello to you on the street,” Karels said.

He said Fernandez-Ramon was great to work with but kept to herself.

“A lot of people didn’t know her,” he said.

Karels said he’s left with questions, like why did it have to happen.

Fernandez-Ramon has two children: 10 and 8 years old. Members of the community say it’s one of the many reasons this is so disconcerting.

“Very sad, because her kids are going to grow up without her,” Cole said.

“No mom now, the kids lost their mother– that’s terrible,” Rheaume said.

Although at this point, police aren’t saying where exactly the body was discovered, people in town pointed to a farm just outside of town. When WCCO-TV asked, the owner of the farm declined to comment.

Police say Fernandez-Ramon’s boyfriend moved to Mexico with the couple’s two children the day after she went missing.

Police aren’t saying if he’s a suspect in the case — but they do say there is no threat to the public. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

BROOKLYN PARK (WCCO) — Police in Brooklyn Park are investigating four armed robberies that happened within one hour on Sunday night.

According to officers, three men armed with a handgun were robbing people on the street.

Sgt. Brice Sand the crimes happened between 9:19 and 10:18 p.m.

The robberies happened at the 6200 block of 65th Ave., 63rd Ave. and Virginia Ave., the 8000 block of June Ave., and the 8100 block of West River Road.

Police believe the crimes are related and that the same three men were responsible for all of them.

Victims told police the suspects had a handgun.

Sand said there were no serious injuries, but one victim was hit with the gun.

Police said the suspects took cash and cell phones.

Officers ask anyone with information about the crimes to call 911.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Police in Minneapolis are looking for a vehicle that rear-ended a squad car twice and then took off.

Officers said the squad was hit near 3rd Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Minneapolis around 4 a.m. Monday.

Two officers were in the squad.  They both complained of neck and back pain and were transported to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment but were released. Their injuries were not serious.

Police originally reported looking for a blue Jeep with front-end damage, but later said there was no description of the offending vehicle or driver.

The squad was disabled so it couldn’t chase after the suspect’s vehicle.

ST. PAUL (WCCO) – A substitute teacher is behind bars after pleading guilty to attempting to groom a special-needs student for prostitution.

According to the Pioneer Press, 33-year-old Tameshia Allen-Hodges, of Oakdale, pleaded guilty to felony charges on Wednesday.

Allen-Hodges taught at a school in North St. Paul.

She was accused of bringing home a 21-year-old female student with developmental disabilities, taking pictures of her in lingerie and suggesting she perform sex acts for money.

She will be sentenced in March.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 50-year-old woman has been charged with theft after police say she stole the wedding ring of her ex-husband’s new wife.

According to a criminal complaint, the woman’s wedding ring had been sitting on top of her bedroom dresser, after she broke her wrist and was unable to wear it due to swelling. On Oct. 17, she noticed it was missing and searched the house without any luck.

She and her husband determined the ring must have been stolen and suspected the husband’s ex-wife, Kristina Marie Wagner, might have taken it.

The couple told police Wagner had possible chemical abuse issues, was in financial trouble and had access to their home when she visits her daughter.

The ring is described as a 14-carat white gold ring with a square .7 carat Leo diamond in the center. It was valued at approximately $5,100.

Investigators discovered Wagner had pawned a wedding ring set at a pawn store in Burnsville and confirmed the description matched that of the missing ring.

Police questioned Wagner about the incident and she admitted to taking the ring because she was short on money.

Wagner has been charged with theft and receiving stolen property.

FARMINGTON, Minn. (WCCO) — A Farmington man who allegedly sped away from police on his snowmobile and crashed into a pond is facing charges.

Robert Astgen, 35, is charged with one count of fleeing a police officer and two counts of driving while impaired.

Police said they saw a man on a snowmobile going more than 60 mph in the area of Pilot Knob Road and 195th St. just before 8 p.m. on Nov. 19.

They tried to catch up to the man, but he did not slow or stop for traffic on Pilot Knob Road when they turned on the emergency lights and siren.

Officers were able to find where the snowmobiler lived after talking to neighbors in the area and learned from other residents at his home that Astgen was the driver.

Police also learned that the snowmobile in question was located into a retention pond in a field and was sunk up to its handlebars.

When police found the abandoned snowmobile in the water they also noticed footprints walking away.

They were able to track down Astgen and check on his welfare at another home around 10:30 p.m.

Officers said he appeared to be OK, and claimed to know nothing about an incident involving a snowmobile. But when he pulled out his wallet to show police his ID, it was soaking wet. The jacket that witnesses saw on the speeding snowmobile was also located at the home and was also soaking wet.

Police believed that Astgen was under the influence of alcohol too and when they asked him about it he said he had a “couple of beers.”

They gave him a breath test and his BAC was 0.14, above the legal limit for driving which is 0.08.

Officer said Astgen has a previous conviction for driving under the influence in 2009.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) — Catholic officials in St. Cloud will hold a listening session this weekend to address allegations that a former deacon sexually abused at least two boys some 40 years ago.

The Church of the Holy Spirit will hold a public session Sunday at 4 p.m.

The former deacon hasn’t been charged, but reports of abuse have been filed with St. Cloud police and deputies in Benton and Crow Wing counties.

St. Cloud Diocese officials say they scheduled the meeting because the allegations were deemed credible. Diocese spokeswoman Jane Marrin says officials want to hear from victims and offer them support and services.

The Associated Press is not naming the former deacon because he isn’t charged. He did not immediately return a message left at his home Saturday.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

WINONA, Minn. (WCCO) – A driver apparently didn’t learn his lesson the first time, because police say they pulled him over twice in two hours for driving while intoxicated.

The incidents happened Friday in Winona.

Police said they stopped 41-year-old Larry Payne near a bar at 1:30 a.m. and determined his blood alcohol level to be above the legal limit.

Payne was arrested, cited and released.

However, police spotted Payne driving a different car two hours later.

The same officer who apprehended him the first time knew Payne hadn’t had enough time to sober up, and arrested him a second time.

RACINE, Wis. (AP) — Racine police say they’ve arrested the stepson of a 76-year-old man who died following a fight early Monday.

Officers say the 38-year-old suspect called 911 after leaving a residence where he fought with this stepfather shortly before 2 a.m. Police found the older man had been seriously wounded inside the home. He was taken to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints Hospital where he died.

Officers say they found the suspect a short distance from the residence and arrested him. He’s being held in the Racine County Jail.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 49-year-old man who police say was beaten by a 21-year-old Minneapolis man last month died as a result of blunt force injuries.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner identified Carlton Noel Mercer, of Minneapolis, as the victim in the Nov. 7 attack.

Mercer died on Nov. 30 at Hennepin County Medical Center. His death has been ruled a homicide.

According to police, the assault happened at 2434 Ogema Place in Minneapolis. When officers arrived, they found Mercer, who was unconscious with severe facial injuries, lying on the stairs that led up to the second floor of the apartment complex.

Police examined surveillance video which they say showed Augustus Paul Bordeaux kicking and stomping Mercer multiple times. Police said he either kicked or stomped Mercer about 60 times.

Bordeaux had previously been charged with first-degree assault in connection with the crime.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Minneapolis police officer shot and wounded a robbery suspected Monday afternoon after the suspect fled a traffic stop and ran through people’s yards armed with a shotgun, authorities said.

Police were conducting surveillance on the suspect, who is connected with multiple armed robberies in Minneapolis and other cities, at around 4:45 p.m., when officers pulled the car the suspect was riding in over. Police pulled the car over near the 3000 block of Thomas Avenue North, where the suspect got out of the car and fled on foot with a shotgun, authorities said.

Sgt. Stephen McCarty of Minneapolis Police said the suspect then ran east through people’s yards, and police gave chase. Near the alley between Thomas Avenue North and Sheridan Avenues North, police told the suspect to drop the shotgun. The suspect refused, and an officer shot the suspect.

The suspect suffered non-life-threatening wounds and was transported to a nearby hospital. Authorities recovered the shotgun from the scene.

The officer who shot the suspect has been placed on a three-day administrative leave, which is customary, McCarty said.

The Minneapolis Police Department Homicide Unit and the Minneapolis Police Department Internal Affairs Unit are both investigating the shooting. The names of the suspect and the officer placed on leave will be released Tuesday, McCarty said.

HOPKINS, Minn. (WCCO) – Authorities are searching for a man who robbed a Hopkins bank at gunpoint on Monday evening.

It happened at a U.S. Bank located at 16 Ninth Avenue North in downtown Hopkins around 5:50 p.m.

The FBI said a man entered the bank and approached the teller counter with a handgun. The man demanded cash and then fled the bank with an undisclosed amount.

The robber is described a white man between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet tall, weighing between 150-180 pounds. He was wearing a black ski mask and a tan jacket.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 612-376-3200 or contact the Hopkins Police Department.