A locksmith called to make a key for a truck in Brooklyn Park was robbed of his work van after a woman and two men arrived in a Hyundai and one of the men threatened him from behind, according to the complaint.

Kara Nicole Babcock faces charges of aiding and abetting aggravated robbery in the second-degree and aiding and abetting simple robbery, according to a complaint filed October 23 in Hennepin County District Court.

According to the complaint, officers responded to a stolen auto report in Brooklyn Park at about 12:33 p.m. on September 20. The locksmith told police he had been called to make a key for a truck parked in the area. The request included a license photo of the alleged reporting party and a phone number.

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A Hyundai arrived with a woman driving and two men in the backseat. The driver, later identified as Kara Nicole Babcock, had a heart tattoo above her eyebrow. One of the passengers crouched low as if trying not to be seen, while the other sat normally.

The victim asked Babcock for proof of ownership for the truck. Babcock said she would get it from the house but returned almost immediately without any proof. She also gave incorrect information about the vehicle. As the victim continued speaking with Babcock, one of the passengers approached him from behind, pressed something into his lower back and demanded the keys.

The victim believed it was a weapon and handed over the keys. The unidentified person then took the victim’s work van and drove away.

Babcock and the other passenger got back into the Hyundai and left the area. Officers spotted the Hyundai a few minutes later and attempted a traffic stop. The Hyundai tried to flee but was stopped after a PIT maneuver. Babcock was found as a passenger in the Hyundai, and her purse, phone and identification were recovered from the vehicle.

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Jurisdictional Context

Hennepin County is Minnesota’s most populous jurisdiction. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office handles felony prosecutions across Minneapolis and 44 other cities; the Fourth Judicial District presides over felony arraignments and trials at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.