(WBFF) — Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were robbed of their bikes, cellphones, and cash Friday at the corner of Warwick Avenue and North Avenue in West Baltimore, police said.
Officers responded after a report of “several juveniles being robbed of their bikes a few minutes ago.” Police then chased three juvenile suspects who took off on the stolen bikes but did not get far.
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“Got a foot chase, one of ’em on the bike is running on the bicycle. Southbound on Woodmore. Imma stay with this one,” an officer said over police radio traffic.
With help from the aviation unit, Baltimore police arrested an 11-year-old, a 13-year-old, and a 14-year-old in connection with the robbery. All three were taken to juvenile booking. Friday night, it was unclear whether they were back on the streets.
The police activity drew the attention of a nearby resident identified as Miss Edna, who said she was surprised by the incident’s location.
“I did not know it was that close to home,” she said.
Miss Edna said she believes some juveniles are driven by what they see others have. “You know the other materialistic they see what they’re going and they take it,” she said.
She also said juvenile crime is leaving residents fearful and questioned what happens after arrests.
“It just puts fear on people. They’re allowed to do that and then be put back right back out on the street once they’re caught. It’s not doing any good,” she said.
The west Baltimore robbery came as other juvenile crime incidents have raised concerns in the city. Earlier this week, a clerk at a smoke shop in Canton was robbed by three juveniles, the youngest of whom was just 10-years-old, according to the clerk. During the robbery, the clerk could be heard screaming.
A father interviewed about that robbery said he worries about young people making decisions that could follow them for life.
“My son, they don’t do stuff like that,” he said. “You don’t really want them to ruin the rest of their life because they made a mistake because they didn’t know any better. But at the same time, we need them to understand that like you’re walking down the path that you won’t be able to come back.”
Back in West Baltimore, Miss Edna said the recent robbery has left her uneasy.
“I don’t like it. It puts fear in me as well. If it could happen to me, set up another child,” she said.
She said she wants to see consequences that stop repeat offenses. “They get caught. They put him right back out here and they keep doing the repeat, using the same thing. And that’s not good. It’s now teaching them nothing, but it just do what they want to do when they want to do, when they want to do it. And that’s not good,” she said.
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