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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1977 12-07 Maplewood Police break youth burglary ring THE REVIEW Ma ew ice b k r r u a ringyouth ks by Anne Skinner Maplewood, or the area bounded by regarding where to send each youth. English,Keller Golf Course, Highway 36 "We handle it all on an individual "But you know, so often you're hard and Belmont Lane. basis," Hagen added. "We have some pressed to find out why any juvenile does Some of the burglaries had a wonderful discretions left to us—a lot of anything.A kid will kick in a car door and professional polish to them — which people want to do away with police you ask him why and he doesn't know," threw the police off the trail of juveniles. discretions, I hope that never happens." remarked Maplewood Deputy Chief Tom "Some of them taped the windows with Another possibility is assignment to Hagen about juvenile crime. duct tape that kept the glass from shat- work with the police department doing Hagen said juveniles were probably tering," Hagen said. The youths would manual labor around the station. The responsible for about 75 percent "or at then reach in the back or basement program is new in Maplewood but"we've least a majority"of the crime committed window and open the door and walk in the met with very few failures. It hopefully in the city.The police force recently broke home. gives the kids a better knowledge of us a burglary ring involving six north An estimated $1,500 worth of money, and they can see the police aren't all that Maplewood youths between the dates stereo and radio equipment and bad and it gives the police a chance to see Nov. 7-14. "anything they could carry" was taken. the kids aren't all that/bad,"Hagen said. Maplewood's juvenile expert All but $2 was recovered. Several car Primary in juvenile crime is malicious Patrolman Tony Cahanes said one youth prowls or minor burglaries were also destruction of property in Maplewood,he involved remarked the six had planned to uncovered after talking with the youths. added."We've had several cars kicked in commit a burglary a day the following One incident involved a stolen AM-FM and windows broken. Two 13-year-olds week during parent-teacher conferences radio taken from a Maplewood Police car rolled a shopping cart four or five blocks at the schools. that was in the shop. and filled it with rocks and rolled it down The youths,between the ages of 14 and The recovered booty puzzled the police some man's driveway and totally ruined 15,attend John Glenn Junior High School because more of the cash involved had not his garage door —a fiber glass door." and North High School.The six burglaries been spent. "At first they said they The two agreed shoplifting carried the uncovered were committed during the wanted to spend it but they didn't and then second highest incidence. "It's things the daylight hours at times when they said they were hanging on to it," kids not have or need but they think they homeowners were away for short periods Cahanes said. He added two of the six do," Hagen said. of time. youths committed the majority of the Hagen also noted he didn't like to have The police were tipped off Nov. 15 by a burglaries. to do it,but sometimes a youth will be sent "very alert neighbor—we think a lot of All the youths are residents of to court if it is obvious his or her parents her nowadays,"Hagen noted. The neigh- Maplewood, as are their victims. Drugs don't care very much. "It doesn't happen bor had seen two youths trying the lock of and alcohol were not involved as far as all the time, but sometimes we'll send a back door of a home that had already Cahanes and Hagen could tell. them to court hoping the parents will get a been a victim of the youth's burglaries. Two have been referred to the area's talking to there. You're not so quick to "We immediately flooded the area youth service bureau for treatment; the send a kid to court when you can see the because we had seen a pattern develop other for will appear in Ramsey County parents care a lot about him and about and were watching that neighborhood Juvenile Court in coming weeks.Cahanes helping him." He said often these very closely," Hagen added. Two youths and Hagen said the juveniles'attitudes as juveniles will be sent to alternative kinds were found hiding in the neighborhood well as their parents,their school records of sentencing such as the station program under a pine tree. All the burglaries had and past criminal record were all con- or those through the youth service occurred in the"Hills and Dales"area of sidered in making the determination bureau.