Teens Arrested, Linked To Attempted Edina Carjacking, Crime Spree

Jason Addy
Updated ·2 min read

EDINA, MN — Two teens from St. Paul were each hit with more than a dozen charges related to a recent string of carjackings throughout the Twin Cities metro, including an attempted carjacking in Edina, according to Hennepin County prosecutors.

Kashawn Wertman, 18, faces 17 charges, while Nautica Argue, 19, faces 14 charges, with both likely to face more, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said.

Wertman and Argue are accused of committing more than 20 carjacking-related crimes from Jan. 7-17, with crimes reported in more than a dozen cities, including Edina.

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An Edina business owner stopped a carjacking Jan. 12 after two people tried to take keys from a woman as she was picking up her child from daycare, according to criminal complaints filed against Wertman and Argue.

The woman grabbed her purse and phone from her car and ran toward the daycare, the complaints state. Police said the business owner pulled Argue off the woman after she tripped while running.

Police allege Argue then fled with Wertman in a stolen SUV, which was later found in St. Louis Park.

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Police allege Wertman and Argue were also responsible for carjackings and other crimesin Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Louis Park, Brooklyn Center, Plymouth, Richfield, White Bear Lake, Roseville, Lakeville, Eagan, Columbia Heights, Burnsville, Woodbury and Little Canada.

Wertman and Argue were arrested Jan. 18 after Ramsey County deputies located a stolen Audi TT with both inside, police said. They "admitted to certain offenses" while talking to police after they were arrested, according to Hennepin County prosecutors.

Police said Wertman and Argue posted photos on social media, including some that showed them inside stolen vehicles, according to criminal complaints filed against them.

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The Jan. 12 attempted carjacking was the latest in a series of similar crimes throughout the Edina area over the past two months.

Three teens are facing charges after prosecutors alleged they were involved in attempted carjackings Dec. 9 in Edina and St. Louis Park.

A man and three teenage girls were arrested Jan. 7 after Edina police alleged they were involved in an attempted carjacking and aggravated robbery in the city earlier that day.

This article originally appeared on the Edina Patch