Man sentenced after bat-wielding girl intervenes in robbery attempt

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    MAPLEWOOD, Minnesota (WCCO) — A 37-year-old man will spend over two years in prison for attempting to rob a Maplewood, Minnesota liquor store before an 8-year-old girl helped to fight him off with a baseball bat.

Conchobhar Morrell pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted aggravated robbery in November 2024. On Friday, a Ramsey County judge sentenced Morrell to 36 months in prison, with credit for 97 days served.

Charges say the attempted robbery happened on the night of August 10, 2024, at Big Discount Liquors on White Bear Avenue North.

Surveillance video from the store showed Morrell wearing an Amazon uniform and reaching into his pocket before setting a weapon, later identified as a BB gun, on the counter.

According to an Amazon spokesperson, Morrell was a delivery associate for a third-party service delivering packages for Amazon.

Morrell asked the store’s manager, Leo, to hand over “everything,” referring to the money in the cash register, charges say.

Leo said he tried to reason with Morrell and explain to him he could have all the money and that his only concern was the safety of his 8-year-old daughter, who was at the store during the incident.

Surveillance video showed Morrell walking behind the counter with the gun in hand. Leo and Morrell then wrestled over the firearm, according to charges, while the girl grabbed a baseball bat.

The girl hit the suspect a few times before running away. Leo said he didn’t know she tried to help until he watched the surveillance video back.

According to the criminal complaint, Morrell was taken into custody several hundred feet from the store.

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