An 18-year-old from Des Moines was arrested and charged in connection with an armed home invasion during which he allegedly took about $60,000 in cash.
The Des Moines Police Department began their investigation when an Oak Park neighborhood family reported that four people, one of them armed, entered their home and robbed them of about $60,000 in cash May 1, according to a news release from spokesperson Sgt. Paul Parizek.
Detectives learned a teenager who lived in the home posted images of the cash on a social media platform before the robbery, the news release said.
The money belonged to the 16-year-old victim’s mother, according to court documents. The victim said the suspect, Mohamed Osman Abukar, allegedly entered his home and threatened him with a firearm to get the money.
The victim told police Abukar bit his arm, causing injury during a struggle, according to court documents. The 16-year-old said he knew Abukar and was able to identify him.
A search warrant was served May 7, leading to the recovery of substantial amount of cash and the arrest Abukar, who was charged with first-degree robbery. Abukar allegedly was found to have a large sum of cash in a coat similar to what he was wearing during the robbery, according to court documents.
Police did not say whether the three others allegedly involved in the robbery have been arrested or charged.
Parizek warned against keeping such large sums of cash in the home.
“While having some cash on hand could be helpful at some point, there is a lot of risk that comes with keeping large sums of cash in your home,” he said. “The risk of fire, or theft, and the possibility that your insurance company may not cover a large loss of cash, makes a bank or other financial institution a much safer option.”
José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him on X @mendiola_news.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines police warn against keeping large sums of cash after armed robbery of $60,000
Reporting by José Mendiola, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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