Weapons recovered after children crash stolen car into muddy pond, police say

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NEW BRIGHTON, Minnesota ( WCCO ) -- Police in the north metro say an attempted traffic stop of a stolen car filled with children led to a standoff in a wooded area early Wednesday.

New Brighton police said in a Facebook post officers first saw the vehicle speed down Silver Lake Road near 17th Street Northwest and gave chase.

The driver of the vehicle missed a turn on West County Road E, according to police, and drove down an embankment into muddy "waist-deep water" in the northeast corner of Silverwood Park. The driver and four others then fled into the woods on foot.

Officers from several local agencies helped New Brighton police set up a perimeter. The use of a drone, and the loudspeaker from a Minnesota State Patrol helicopter above, eventually led the children to come out and surrender, police say.

Officers later pulled two firearms from the muddy vehicle, one of which had a drum magazine.

Police remind residents to "ensure your vehicle doors are locked and wallets/cash are not left in vehicles overnight."

Although this case is in Ramsey County, neighboring Hennepin County — with Minneapolis specifically — has had thousands of reported car theft cases this year. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says just fewer than 100 of those Minneapolis cases have resulted in criminal charges.

That disparity has led to a very public dispute between Moriarty and Police Chief Brian O'Hara.

The county established the Youth Auto Theft Early Intervention Initiative last year, which aims to help children who can't be formally charged from becoming repeat offenders.

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