(NewsReady.com) – Schools across the country are letting their students out for summer. Kids should be enjoying long, hot days in the sun and ice-cold popsicles. Nine children in California will reportedly spend that time getting acquainted with the criminal justice system.
On May 21, officers with the Oakland Police Department saw a vehicle they were looking for in connection with a recent robbery. Multiple people reportedly exited the car and went into a business. The suspects took off in a vehicle after backup arrived.
A helicopter tracked the suspects, and four jumped out of the car. After a foot pursuit, the police captured the individuals. Five others were arrested at the establishment. The suspects were identified as six boys and three girls, aged 12 to 17.
The teens were reportedly tied to 32 robberies in Oakland, one in El Cerrito, and two in Piedmont. Officers also think they might be tied to the beating and robbery of a 63-year-old woman. In that case, police say suspects pushed the woman to the ground, assaulted and robbed her.
According to the police, Oakland has seen a 7% increase in robberies across the city this year. Police Chief Darren Allison said the department had seen 100 robberies in a single week, including ones that involved assaults, carjackings, and shootings. He explained that officers had arrested 20 people recently, and 14 of them were minors. The department has responded to the crimes by reinvesting in traffic and foot patrols, investing more resources in youth, and considering partnerships with other agencies.
In January, The Wall Street Journal reported violent crime involving juveniles has dramatically increased around the United States since 2020. New York City has seen a surge in offenses committed by minors. Last year, 124 juveniles were arrested for shootings, nearly double the number (64) taken into custody in 2020. The number of murders committed by kids under the age of 14 has increased to the highest it’s been in two decades. Departments like Oakland are now forced to figure out how to solve the problem.
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