BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Questions about crime and accountability are being raised after police say several children were involved in threats and the theft of a scooter in a Baltimore neighborhood.
According to Baltimore police, an 8-year-old boy was playing with a lime scooter in the 2600 block of Mura Street around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday when another boy, believed to be between 12 and 14 years old, took the scooter and rode away. Police said the boy’s 14-year-old family member tried to find the scooter and was then threatened by another boy, also believed to be between 12 and 14, who threatened to shoot him in the head. Officers said no weapon was seen or displayed.
“The city is just giving up on their youth. All the doggone programs are shutting down,” said resident Ricardo Prout.
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Prout also described how scooters are often stolen in the area.
“On a day-to-day basis around here in this neighborhood, they steal the lime scooters and then they leave them in the alley right behind our house. And then they’re up and down the street and it’s just unnecessary,” Prout said.
Police said minutes after the threat was made, a third teenager returned the scooter. Despite this, the episode left people in the area unsettled.
“When I was a kid and I’m not gonna lie about it, I did have a criminal head. But we didn’t get off easy.”
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Questions about how the city handles youth accused of crimes remain. Prout added, “Now the problem is there’s just no room for them. The court system just doesn’t have any time. Everybody’s just fed up. It’s just like kids are raising kids. Their parents can’t take care of them. And it’s just a done deal. It’s a repeating cycle of how stuff is just getting worse.”
He emphasized that the cycle would not end until real accountability is in place.
Police said the three teenagers involved have not been identified. They asked anyone with information to contact Baltimore police.
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