Purse stolen in broad daylight in Linden Hills

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The corner of West 44th Street & Beard Avenue South is a gathering place for many who come for the pies and pastries inside Turtle Bread.

That's what brought in Nina Frey and her co-worker in, Wednesday afternoon.

"I've never been here, and it was really good," Frey said.

Until it wasn't. In the middle of her conversation, she said two juveniles walked up and snatched her purse that was placed on the floor next to her.

"I was having lunch with a co-worker in broad daylight, traffic was going by, and people were sitting at tables and that (theft) happened," Frey recalled. "It was quick-it was like a movie scene almost."

She watched helplessly as the thieves took off down the road before hopping into a car.

Sitting in the very spot Thursday, Frey said she still is shocked that happened to her in Linden Hills, an area she spent a lot of time in growing up.

"I'm aware of my surroundings but you just don't think it's going to happen to you," she said.

Frey wants women to hold your bags close and say something if you notice a car circling the block or unusual behavior.

We caught up with Alex Desnick who lives in the area and says crime has gone up over the years.

"I'm not surprised at all," Desnick said. "Thieves are in this neighborhood constantly."

Just two months ago, surveillance video showed two young people on bikes ride past Desnick's home. He said they broke through a window, ransacked the home and walked away with $80,000 worth of collectible basketball cards.

Data shows theft cases are up in this Minneapolis neighborhood. The Minneapolis Police Department's Crime Dashboard shows 13 Larceny/Theft Offenses were reported in Linden Hills in August. That's more than any other month over the past year.

This has left residents like Desnick uneasy.

"I don't even feel comfortable walking around late at night," he said.

MPD tell us no arrests have been made.