On November 25, 2025, law enforcement was dispatched to Running Aces Harness Park located at [ADDRESS REDACTED] NE, Columbus, Anoka County, on a report of a robbery. The reporting party, M. S., told law enforcement that she left Running Aces at about 1:56 P.M. On November 24, 2025, and was stopped by a van in the parking lot. The driver of the van, later identified as Calin Arabu [DOB REDACTED], defendant ARABU herein, asked M. S. For money. M. S. Gave him money, but defendant ARABU saw more money inside her wallet and demanded that she give him the rest.
M. S. Then observed what she thought was a black and silver handgun in defendant ARABU’s lap. Defendant ARABU continued to demand money, threatening to kill her if she did not. During this exchange, M. S. Reported that Defendant ARABU also grabbed onto her arm. M. S. Gave Defendant ARABU all her money in her wallet. M. S. Also told law enforcement that there was a female in the van, later identified as Maria Soledad Artenif [DOB REDACTED], defendant ARTENIF herein, that told Defendant ARABU to get all M. S.’s jewelry in addition to her money and Defendant ARABU then demanded M. S. Give him her jewelry.
In total, M. S. Gave Defendant ARABU and Defendant ARTENIF $613 and a red ruby ring, valued at about $1,400. M. S. Said that Defendant ARABU told her that he would shoot her and kill her if she went back inside the casino. Defendant ARABU and defendant ARTENIF fled the scene in the van, which was tracked through the casino surveillance footage as MN/SAK209. On November 26, 2025, law enforcement located the van at a Days Inn located at [ADDRESS REDACTED], Eagan, Dakota County, and defendant ARABU and defendant ARTENIF were detained.
In statements with law enforcement, Defendant ARABU admitted to being the driver of the van at Running Aces when the events took place with M. S. And Defendant ARTENIF admitted to being the passenger in the van during the incident as well. Both also admitted they “collected” cash and jewelry from M. S. But denied making any threats to her. Defendant ARTENIF and defendant ARABU stated defendant ARABU bought the van about 5 days prior. Defendant ARTENIF claimed that M. S. Purchased some jewelry from them and that was the extent of the exchange.
Defendant ARABU said he offered jewelry to M. S. As a gift, but M. S. Wanted to pay for it and then gave her ring to him as a gift as well. In a warrant search of the vehicle, a large black and silver knife was located. The colors matched what M. S. Stated she observed in the vehicle and thought was a gun at the time of the incident with defendants. The surveillance footage from Running Aces also shows defendants driving up to more than just M. S. That day, circling the parking lot, and had no front license plate.
The registered owner of the van is not either defendant.
