Tipsheet

Minneapolis Auto Thefts Surge 35 Percent Under Tim Walz, Jacob Frey

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  March 18, 2026 9:30 AM

It's frightening to think that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was almost a heartbeat away from the presidency. He's done such a terrible job in Minnesota that America could not afford to have him, or Kamala Harris, anywhere near the levers of power in Washington.

Not only has Minnesota been a hotbed of social welfare program fraud, but it's also becoming increasingly crime ridden. In fact, auto thefts in Minneapolis are up 35 percent in the first part of this year.

Here's more from Fox News:

The city of Minneapolis has seen a dramatic increase in auto thefts so far in 2026, causing rising pressure on Gov. Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey to address the situation. 

The worrying trend was highlighted by Crime Watch Minneapolis, a volunteer-operated news organization, which shared a graphic on X showing how widespread the problem has become throughout the city. More than 1,000 auto thefts were reported in January and February of this year in Minneapolis, a city of approximately 430,000 people. This represents an increase of nearly 35% compared to the same period last year, according to Crime Watch Minneapolis.

The trend appears to be continuing into March, with at least 14 reported auto thefts between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. on March 14 and six more during the afternoon on that same day, according to the news site.

Over the last few months, Walz and Frey have made numerous statements attacking ICE and blaming federal immigration authorities for making the city less safe. Earlier this year, the two were the focus of a Department of Justice investigation into an alleged conspiracy to coerce or obstruct federal law enforcement during U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Minnesota.

Absolutely incredible.

Just keep that counter at zero, frankly.

As the article points out, Gov. Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey have blamed ICE and President Trump for making the city and state "less safe," while their local law enforcement and criminal justice system refuse to arrest car thieves and prosecute them.

The breakdown of society is a choice.

The numbers may lie, but the reality doesn't.

Not particularly catchy, that slogan, but it's accurate.

"This rate exceeds 2024 highs in cities like Milwaukee (381 per 100,000) and contrasts with St. Paul's projected 381 per 100,000, where targeted enforcement drove a decline; low arrest rates (3%) and staffing shortages contribute to Minneapolis' "deterrence problem," the post reads.

Never underestimate the power of independent journalism.

According to Fox News, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara blamed Operation Metro Surge as a "contributing factor" to the rise in auto thefts, claiming "officers and investigators were consistently pulled from their normal assigned duties."

But that's not the reality of it. Retired Minnesota State Patrol Lt. John Nagel said this is choice local law enforcement and city leaders are making.

"This isn’t an ICE problem,"  he told Fox News. "It’s a deterrence problem."

"As a 30-year law enforcement veteran, I can tell you this: auto theft goes down when city leaders make it a priority and criminals know there will be consequences. We’ve seen that in St. Paul, where focused enforcement drove car theft down sharply, while Minneapolis is back over 1,000 auto thefts in just the first two months of this year."