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2 Charged With Inver Grove Heights Ax Robbery

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A man is recovering after being hit in the back of the head with a battle ax during a robbery that his friend allegedly set up.

Inver Grove Heights Police said on Dec. 21, Jacob Anhalt made plans to come to the home of his friend, identified by police as M.J.

According to the criminal complaint, Anhalt, 22, arrived at the home, but when M.J. opened the door, two men wearing masks, black hooded sweatshirts and gloves stormed inside the house. One man was carrying a large sword and the other had a large battle ax.

One of those men hit M.J. in the back of the head with the ax. M.J. reported seeing Anhalt run out of the house.

The man with the ax said they were looking for valuables. When M.J. said he had none, the man took the rings off M.J.'s fingers, a cell phone, two cordless drills, a saws-all, keys and a truck belonging to M.J.'s friend.

They used duct tape and tied M.J. to a Foosball table and left.

M.J. was able to get free a while later and call for help.

Police tracked down the stolen truck in Cottage Grove and said Anhalt was sitting in the passenger seat and Randy Allen Knight, 31, was the driver.

Police questioned Anhalt and he admitted to setting up the robbery and that Knight and someone else named "Dustin" carried it out.

Anhalt said he didn't know they would have weapons with them or hurt M.J.

Knight claimed he didn't know anything about the robbery and that he had just come to help fix the truck.

Police said both Anhalt and Knight are charged with burglary, aggravated robbery and theft.

They were taken into custody.

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