Bail Reduced for Men Charged in Rochester Cell Phone Store Robbery & Stabbing

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- Bail was reduced this week for the two men charged in a robbery and stabbing at a Rochester cell phone store. 

Read More: Charges Filed Against Rochester AT&T Store Robbery Suspects

Conditional bail for each man was set at $50,000 following their arraignment on the charges in Olmsted County Court on May 29. 

Rochester Police responded to the robbery and stabbing report around 8:30 on the night of May 28. 

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The criminal complaints filed against 26-year-old Ahmed Abdulqadir Ali and 20-year-old Bilal Ali Hilowle accuse the Rochester men of barging their way into the AT&T cell phone store near the Crossroads Hy-Vee location while the employees of the business were closing for the day.  

A regional manager called 911 and stated that a break-in was occurring and was visible on the store surveillance cameras. Responding officers spotted one of the employees lying in the office of the store with a large laceration to his calf area. 

The charges say one of the robbers took the store manager into the safe room and ordered him to open it. The store manager told police he complied, but then told the robbers that the safe has a feature that requires a 10 minute waiting period before the door actually opens. 

The manager says he then pointed out a box of used and returned phones to the robbers, and while they were rummaging through the box, he was able to lock himself in the safe room. 

The criminal complaint says that left the other store employee alone with the robbers in the hallway. A few minutes later, the other employee came into the safe room and told the manager that he had been stabbed. 

Rochester police reported the worker suffered a large laceration during a struggle with the robbers. 

Both suspects were later captured after responding officers spotted them nearby in the parking lot of the Crossroads Shopping Center. 

The court document says Ahmed  was apprehended after he was found hiding near some trees, while Bilal Hilowe was arrested outside the nearby Andy's Liquor Store.

Both men are charged with first-degree aggravated robbery.

The judge presiding over the case granted the defense’s motion to reduce bail for each defendant. Ali’s conditional bail was cut down to $5,000 while Hilowle’s conditional bail was taken down to $10,000. 

Court records indicate Hilowle posted his bail on Thursday. At last check, Ali remains in custody at the Olmsted County Jail. Both men are due back in court next month.