Minnetonka car theft stokes fear, but violent crime remains rare in the suburb

After a car theft and assault in Minnetonka last month, some residents are on edge despite violent crime remaining rare in the suburb.

On Monday, residents packed the City Council meeting to voice their concerns after a family's car was stolen from their driveway as they unloaded groceries.

"I think the reason I'm here is I'm tired of this. We're tired of the crime," said Craig Beason, whose wife was the victim of the carjacking. "We want to know what we can do to invoke change."

Romell Roshode Lewis, 21, was charged with carjacking, aggravated robbery and burglary by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Police say he and three youths stole the Beasons' car from their driveway the morning of Aug. 17.

Lewis has not been arrested, but the charges filed last week allege the youths shoved the woman, who tried to stop the carjackers, and her 13-year-old son and tried to take his phone as he called police.

The thieves drove the car away and police chased them through Minnetonka. The car was found in Edina about half an hour later.

Minnetonka Police Capt. Andy Gardner said this was the city's first carjacking in 2023. The city saw one carjacking in 2022.

Violent crime didn't spike in Minnetonka during the pandemic as it did in larger cities, Gardner said. But the city has seen more property crimes including a rash of car thefts in August. Only this one was violent, he said.

Mayor Brad Wiersum said Monday that even though Minnetonka is safe, that's little comfort to someone who has been the victim of a crime.

"Statistics are just fine until you're a victim. When you're a victim it's very personal and very devastating," Wiersum said. "Our statistics could be near perfect, but when it happens to you, statistics mean nothing."