On August 20, 2025, at approximately 0004 hours, an Eden Prairie Police Department Officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle parked behind a closed business with its lights on in the area of 7600 block of Washington Avenue South in Edina, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The officer observed a woman on the passenger side of the vehicle trying to load what appeared to be an AC unit into the vehicle. The officer was aware of recent AC burglaries in the area. The woman was identified as Elsa Iris Cardenas [DOB REDACTED], "Defendant" herein.
Defendant noted the vehicle belonged to a friend. The officer observed the steering column and the ignition area of the vehicle had been torn apart. The officer also observed a small screwdriver stuck into a portion of the steering column. Based on their training and experience, the officer commonly sees this in vehicles that were stolen. The officer attempted to contact the registered owner of the vehicle without success. Defendant was found to have a warrant. Defendant consented to an officer retrieving her phone from the vehicle.
In doing so, the officer observed a hypodermic needle in the side of the driver's side door. A K-9 officer was called to the scene. When they arrived, Defendant gave the officer(s) consent to search her purse, which had been in the vehicle. In searching the purse, a clear plastic container was located containing an unmeasurable white powdery substance. Defendant noted "that’s probably meth." In a search of the vehicle, an officer found a black case in the vehicle. The black case contained a large glass pipe with white burnt residue and a plastic bag of suspected methamphetamine.
This substance field-tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 16.43 grams without packaging.
