Becka Thompson, Candidate for Ward 12 City Council
What happened last night, August 12/13th 2025, when over 120 car windows were smashed in a coordinated spree, wasn’t just vandalism. This was organized crime. A group of individuals moved together down the street, blatantly smashing windows and stealing whatever they could, with a getaway car following close behind.
It was surreal to watch, and deeply troubling that criminals feel this emboldened in our city.
video courtesy of KSTP 5 news
Crimes like this have real consequences. They leave residents with costly repairs, strip away our sense of security, and damage the trust we have in our community’s safety.
We must act on multiple fronts:
- Rapid Response: Enhance coordination between MPD and surrounding jurisdictions, enabling law enforcement to respond in real-time when these incidents occur.
- Targeted Enforcement: Utilize mobile surveillance and hotspot patrols in high-risk areas to deter crime before it occurs.
- Youth Prevention: Invest in diversion programs, mentorship opportunities, and partnerships with schools to reach at-risk youth. As a teacher, I know that far too often educators are left in the dark about what students are involved in outside of school. To truly help these kids, we need a genuine, holistic approach—not more firewalls and opacity—especially when the county currently doesn’t take this with the seriousness it deserves. Teachers can be part of the solution if they’re aware and supported.
- Parental Accountability: When juveniles are involved, we should consider forms of accountability for parents or guardians, including restitution, community service, or required participation in intervention programs.
Public safety is not a partisan talking point—it’s a basic responsibility we owe to every Minneapolis resident. If elected, I will fight for solutions that combine enforcement with prevention, because we cannot allow this kind of brazen crime to become “normal” in our city.
