Police alerts
Information for our community
The Bloomington Police Department is available to provide you and your family with information
about personal safety, community alerts, and other useful topics. Sign up to receive Police
alerts using the link at the top of this page.
Alerts listed here may become outdated. Older alerts are presented for historical context.
Police alerts (newest at top)
Hit-and-run victim's daughter expresses gratitude
Alert date: January 24, 2012
Here's a story found on the KSTP.com website: "The daughter of a woman killed in a hit and run incident wants to thank the Bloomington police and community for helping find the man responsible when her mother, 85-year-old Dorothy Hanson was hit while crossing East Old Shakopee Road at 10th Avenue South in Bloomington in October of 2010..."
December 28 update: APPREHENDED!
Police have apprehended a suspect in the robberies described below. Thanks for following our Police Department alerts here and on Facebook, Twitter and our E-Subscribe service.
Southdale armed robbery may be related to armed robberies in Bloomington
Alert date: December 13, 2011
Bloomington robberies: A Bloomington robbery victim reported being followed out of the Lund's parking lot on 98th St. and Normandale Blvd. just after 8 p.m. on Monday, December 5. She told police that a vehicle followed her all the way home. When she got out of her car in her driveway, she was approached by a man with a handgun who demanded her purse and fled.
On Thursday, December 8, around 5:45 a.m., another woman told police a car matching the same description followed her into the Caribou parking lot off Old Shakopee and France Ave. She reported that a man with a gun approached her and made off with her purse.
Southdale robbery: Investigators say the suspect and vehicle descriptions in both of the Bloomington cases are similar to the description from a robbery that took place at Southdale on Tuesday, December 6. In that case, Edina Police say a woman was robbed at gunpoint in the mall's parking lot after dark.
The suspect in the Bloomington cases is described as an black man between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet tall, 200 to 250 pounds, between 30 and 40 years old. Police say he was wearing dark clothing and a black hat. The Edina victim described the suspect as clean shaven, wearing a dark Claiborne jacket, a Fedora-style hat and sunglasses. In all three cases, the suspect was believed to be driving a dark color 4-door sedan with bright headlights.
Reward: The Edina Crime Prevention Fund is now offering a reward up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest in the case.
If you have information about the Southdale or Bloomington robberies, contact Detective Ed Hanson at 952-563-8812.
2011 Minnesota Thanksgiving travel period could be safest on record
Alert date: November 30, 2011
Preliminary traffic fatality reports indicate Minnesota may have recorded its safest
Thanksgiving travel period since at least 1974, the year Department of Public Safety (DPS)
Office of Traffic Safety began tracking Thanksgiving period fatal numbers.
According to preliminary records, there was one Minnesota traffic death during the holiday
travel timeframe (6 p.m. Wed, Nov. 23 – 12 a.m., Mon., Nov. 28). The deadliest
Thanksgiving travel period on record was 18 deaths in 1994. There were four deaths over the
Thanksgiving holiday in 2010.
"Just a few years ago, Minnesota would suffer double-digit fatalities during
Thanksgiving," says Donna Berger, acting director of DPS Office of Traffic Safety.
"Increased belt use, attentive driving and sober driving are helping to make sure
people are getting home safely for the holidays."
There have been 313 traffic deaths to date this year in Minnesota, compared to 369 at this
time in 2010.
Reducing traffic crashes and resulting deaths and injuries is the goal of the state's
core traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). A primary vision
of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists
support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving
behavior. TZD focuses on four stategies to reduce crashes: education, enforcement,
engineering and emergency trauma response.
Mirror recovered at the
scene. Click to enlarge.
Help us locate a vehicle involved in a November 22 hit-and-run
Alert date: November 29, 2011
The Bloomington Police Department Traffic Investigations Unit is looking for a
vehicle involved in a hit and run, personal injury crash with a pedestrian.
This crash occurred at 5 p.m. on November 22, in the area of Lyndale Avenue S. and Lyndale
Circle.
The hit and run suspect vehicle is described as a 2009 or newer Ford Fusion, red in color.
Damage to the suspect vehicle is the driver's side mirror.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Officer Warren Jones at
952-563-8747.
Phone fraud targets elderly victims
Alert date: November 23, 2011
Recently the Bloomington Police Department has received several reports in which an
elderly victim has been contacted by someone claiming to be their grandchild.
The "grandchild" knows the names of members of the victim's family. They
describe a trip to Canada in detail, and inform the victim that they have been arrested
there, usually for having drugs or guns in a car, and that they need several thousand
dollars for bail.
Often they will know where the nearest Western Union office is to the victim.
They will inform the victim not to call their parents, because they don't want them to
know, and not to tell Western Union why the money is being sent. They will have the victim
send the money to a different country other than Canada.
The following day, the victim will receive another phone call from someone claiming to be a
police officer in Canada. They will inform the victim that they now need to send several
thousand dollars more for court costs.
After that they will call again and inform the victim that more money is needed to pay for
the fines.
If you are contacted by anyone claiming to be a family member arrested in a
foreign country, PLEASE contact your family before sending any money.
If anyone advises you NOT to tell someone, PLEASE DO tell
someone!
Car prowls in residential neighborhoods
Alert date: October 11, 2011
Officers have taken numerous reports recently of car prowls in residential neighborhoods.
This appears to be citywide.
Items taken include: Gym bags, cash, check books, wallets, GPS systems, laptops and cell
phones. The items were taken from unlocked vehicles parked in driveways overnight as well
as from unlocked garages.
There is no suspect or vehicle information available in any of these areas.
The Bloomington Police Department would like to remind everyone to remove all valuables
from vehicles even if they are parked in your driveway. In addition, please make sure your
garage doors are secured. This applies to overnight hours as well as during the day.
We would also like to remind everyone to report suspicious people or vehicles immediately
by calling 911.
Contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 952-563-4900 if you have any questions or would like
any crime prevention tips.
Use of outdoor shooting range
Alert date: September 30, 2011
Bloomington police will be using the outdoor range at the City's Western Maintenance
Facility on Hampshire Avenue on Monday, October 3, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Level 3 predatory offender notification
Alert date: August 25, 2011
On August 18, the Bloomington Police Department released a notification of release of a
Level 3 predatory offender, Joey James Olson, into the community.
A Level 3 Predatory Offender public meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 2011, at
Community of the Cross Lutheran Church, 10701 Bloomington Ferry Road.
Business alert update: ARRESTED
Alert date: July 11, 2011
On Monday, July 4, at 3:55 p.m., a security guard working in the 8000 block of 34th Avenue
observed a subject wandering a hallway and recognized this subject from our police alerts.
The security guard called 9-1-1 and Bloomington officers were quick to respond and arrested
Michael John Jones.
Jones was in possession of a screwdriver and when officers checked the area they found
several suites had been burglarized.
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Fall 2011 Citizen's Academy
Alert date: June 23, 2011
The Citizen's Police Academy is a law enforcement education program for citizens.
We are looking for a few good men and women to fill the remaining openings we have in our
fall 2011 Police Citizens’ Academy, Thursday nights from September 15 to November 17,
for 10 weeks of fun and learning.
Business alert
Alert date: June 3, 2011
Michael John Jones, DOB/ 12/12/60
Jones is a convicted burglar and is actively burglarizing Bloomington businesses along the
Interstate 494-bus route. He forcibly enters businesses after hours, primarily on the
weekends and steals laptop computers. He uses fire extinguishers to break glass on exterior
doors and uses screwdrivers to pry the interior building and office doors.
Jones is wanted by the Bloomington Police Department and is a Department of Corrections
fugitive.
Update June 8: A warrant has been issued for Jones' arrest.
If you see Jones, immediately call 9-1-1.
Suspect Description:
Black male, 51 years old, 6’0” tall, 140 lbs. He wears business or work out
attire. He might carry a cup of coffee to use as a prop. He will carry a laptop bag
or backpack.
Criminal Worthless Check Diversion Program
Alert date: May 17, 2011
The Bloomington City Attorney and Police Department along with Financial Crimes Services
have implemented a Criminal Worthless Check Diversion Program to recover full restitution
from individuals issuing NSF/ACCOUNT CLOSED/REFER TO MAKER/ELECTRONIC checks.
This service is provided by the City of Bloomington, for businesses and residents. This
service is offered at NO COST and provides an opportunity for Bloomington businesses and
residents to recover losses from individuals who write worthless checks.
There will be an informational presentation for all Bloomington businesses
and residents at the Bloomington Police Department, second level, Haeg Meeting Room, on
Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 8 a.m. and then again at
11:30 a.m. The meeting will last approximately 30 minutes and provide
instructions to residents and businesses on how to use the program. Refreshments will be
served.
If you would like information prior, please call the Check Diversion Program at
1-800-880-5420.
Summer enforcement efforts focus on dangerous driving behaviors
Alert date: May 10, 2011
Bloomington Police were in Minneapolis over the weekend, joining forces with Minneapolis
police and other local law enforcement agencies to crack down on distracted driving and
seatbelt violations. The patrols mark the beginning of a summer-long enforcement on the
part of the Hennepin County Enforcement Group, a joint task force that includes the cities
of Bloomington, Edina, Minneapolis and Maple Grove, among others.
FOX9 News featured this story about the joint effort:
The folllowing media releases describe the City of Bloomington's
summer enforcement efforts:
Traffic patrols increase around anniversary of tragic crashes
Alert date: April 27, 2011
Bloomington and Eden Prairie are adding patrol cars during prom season 2011 to target
dangerous driving behaviors (belts not in use, distracted driving, underage drinking,
etc.).
A deadly four-day period on Minnesota roads occurred this time last year when 17 people
were killed during April 23 - 26, 2010. All but two of the 17 deaths were people ages 27
and younger, and of the 16 motorists killed, at least 12 were not buckled up.
Hit and run suspect vehicle:
Help the Police identify the driver
Alert date: March 17, 2011
At 7:45 a.m. on Wednesday, March 16, 2011, a parked car was struck at 92nd
Avenue and 12th Street. The suspect vehicle is a maroon Century or Regal.
Support Bloomington's Polar Plunge team!
Alert date: February 11, 2011
Members of the Bloomington Police Department are taking the 3rd Annual Polar Plunge on
February 17 to raise money for Special Olympics.
Your hometown team needs your support. Please consider making a pledge for one of our
hometown Police Department Polar Plungers!
To report criminal activity any other emergency, call
911. For non-emergency inquiries, you can reach the Police Department at
952-563-4900.
For more information, contact:
Bloomington Police Department
PH: 952-563-4900
TTY: 952-563-8740
FAX: 952-563-4936
E-mail:police@ci.bloomington.mn.us
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