Crime update, gun shops, societal flotsam

Apparently there are people out there who not only rob gun shops, but are oftentimes successful at it. In what could only be described as a massive haul, thieves stole 76 guns from Metro Pawn and Gun Shop in Richfield, MN in January of 2005. The fallout continues: "Guns stolen from store still used in crimes".

This large theft has created what you might call a problem. It seems the guns are being used in crimes, and 51 of them remain unrecovered.

The stolen guns have been recovered in the Twin Cities and the suburbs, but also in other areas of the state. Minneapolis police have picked up 13, Richfield police 7, St. Paul police 3 and Bloomington police 1. One gun was recovered in Tennessee last May.

Although 51 of the guns still remain unaccounted for, some of the 25 recovered guns are powerful weapons. Police have found a 12-gauge shotgun a Glock 9mm and a .45 caliber hand gun.

The armed robbery was perpetrated by a group of teenage boys who belong to Minneapolis gangs. The boys then gave the guns away to their friends.

While this crime is extremely serious, one can't help but wonder if the gun shop owner is a little embarrassed.

Meanwhile, a one man crime wave has been caught, per this Minneapolis Police press release of 10/28/05:

Today, Thomas Arnell Williams was charged by the Hennepin County Attorney's office with Robbery for his participation in the following business robberies:

Seward Foods at 2431 Franklin Ave. on September 6, 2005. Williams entered the neighborhood store and took cash after announcing a robbery. No gun was seen, but implied.

Tobacco Warehouse at 4727 Hiawatha Ave. S. on October 20, 2005. Williams entered the business and announced a robbery. Williams left with cash and cigarettes after implying that he had a gun.

Williams has also been identified as the suspect in a business robbery at the BP Gas Station at 3551 Lyndale Ave. S. on October 20, 2005.

Williams is also the suspect in at least ten other business robberies in the Second, Third and Fifth Precincts of Minneapolis over the past several months.

Williams was arrested on October 21, 2005 after the Subway sandwich shop, 3425 E. Lake St. was robbed. Two alert citizens chased Williams through the neighborhood on foot and were able to get a license number of a vehicle which aided in his escape. Officers located this vehicle a short distance away and arrested Williams, who was identified by the two alert citizens. Money from the robbery was also recovered.

At the time of his arrest, Williams was on probation for six business robberies in Minneapolis in 2004. Williams had served a total of 111 days in jail for these robberies.

For additional information, please contact Lt. Mike Fossum, Minneapolis Police Department Robbery Unit, at (612) 673-3645.

No photo of this fine citizen is available at press time. Apparently, the loser never brandished a weapon during his crimes, although he implied that he had one. Chances are he never had a gun, or he would have pulled it out. It's striking how many crimes he was able to commit essentially unarmed.

Do you think his attorney is already filing a motion to get the same judge(s) who put him away for a total of 111 days for 6 previous robberies? That's a walk in the park - maybe crime does pay!