BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD (WBFF) — Three teenagers are facing charges after a string of commercial burglaries across Baltimore County.
WBFF has been following this story, reporting on the surge of break-ins that have left business owners with thousands of dollars in damage.
The Baltimore County Police Department said the suspects, ages 15, 16 and 17, are each charged with second-degree burglary and destruction of property. Officers listed 15 separate break-ins spread across the county at locations including Merritt Boulevard, Pulaski Highway, Baltimore National Pike and Holabird Avenue.
The break-ins have affected businesses in several communities, with residents reacting to the wide area the teenagers allegedly covered.
“It isn’t like they were targeting a specific store… that’s a long way to go. Like, I’m going to start on this side of town, go all the way on this other side of the town, just to break into some stores, ‘ said Eddie Dro.
Parents in the area are expressing concern about local youth involvement. Another resident said, “I actually have teenagers as well, and this generation is definitely coming up wild. I don’t know what’s going on, whether we need to do more as parents, but they need to get it under control because they are wild out here.”
Some business owners are now left with hefty repair bills. WBFF previously reported on the damage at Dundalk Plaza, where shattered glass and broken doors forced businesses to pay out of pocket for repairs. A glass repair worker estimated the losses, saying, “So thousands of dollars, man thousands of dollars’ worth of damage. Thousands of dollars.”
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The arrests have raised questions among residents about the causes behind the break-ins.
“I think it had a lot to do with social media, like, they see these trends and they think it’s cool and then they try to start their own trends and stuff, so I don’t know, it could be that” said Dro.
With all the suspects less than 18, the community is now looking to the juvenile justice system for answers. One resident said, “If they are doing adult things and doing what they’re not supposed to be doing, they need to be held accountable. And parents, too, because they should know where their kids are. Like, why are they just running around the city doing all this stuff?”
Police have not released any other information about the suspects beyond their ages. The case involves 15 separate break-ins, and business owners are left to handle the damage and repair costs.
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