MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Minneapolis Police are asking for the public’s help to find three men who could be linked to several armed robberies of sandwich restaurants.
In the latest incident, authorities say the three armed men entered the Subway on 2400 E. Hennepin Ave. on Thursday and forced an employee into the cooler. They then allegedly stole a backpack, cell phone and cash from the store.
Minneapolis Police Cmdr. Catherine Johnson says the incident is very similar with at least three other robberies in Minneapolis, including at the Subway on 3541 Cedar Ave. S., the Subway on 3621 50th St. W. and the Quiznos on 1851 Washington Ave. S.
“We’re always concerned about whether or not when you have a pattern like this,” Johnson said.
Quiznos manager Marco Quiroga was working at the store Monday morning when the three robbers entered the store.
“They started to ask me ‘Where is the money? Where is the money? Get on the ground, crawl, crawl, crawl, crawl!’” Quiroga said. “I didn’t know what was going on.”
Quiroga was ordered to open the safe before he was put inside the cooler along with his coworker.
“In particular, when it’s totally dark, it was really kind of scary,” he said.
Quiroga says he’s never had an armed robbery at the store in his nine years there. He believes the same Subway thieves are responsible.
“Three guys getting money … from the register, from the safe and guys into the freezer,” he said.
Minneapolis Police are also working with investigators from Minnetonka and St. Anthony to see if robberies in their cities are related.
“Our goal obviously is to protect public safety and our hope is that we can catch these folks before any of that escalation does occur,” Johnson said.
Photos from a surveillance camera show the suspects are usually seen wearing masks, hoods and gloves in each crime. They work in groups of three and always display guns, according to police.
Anyone with information on the incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or text TIP674, plus the information to 274637.
Those providing information could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000. All tips are anonymous.
