Group of minors arrested for series of carjackings and robberies in Baltimore

BALTIMORE – A group of minors between the ages of 12 and 16 were arrested Wednesday afternoon in Northeast Baltimore after several carjackings and robberies within a few hours.

Surveillance video shows a white SUV crashing at the intersection of Belair Avenue and Erdman Avenue before teens ran away and were eventually taken into custody.

“During the investigation, BPD deployed many officers and with a concerted effort they were able to arrest this group of juveniles,” said Baltimore Police Detective Freddie Talbert.

Police said a Toyota RAV 4 committed a carjacking in the 500 block of West University Parkway, near Johns Hopkins University. An hour and a half later, three people were attacked at gunpoint and robbed on Beech Avenue and Chestnut Avenue, according to police.

“The juveniles, ages 12 to 16, were all charged with auto theft, but two were also charged with robbery,” Talbert said.

Police said one person was attacked at Alameda and Marble avenues before the five minors were arrested. Police said all of them have prior auto theft charges.

Modernization of the juvenile justice system

Recently, the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) announced ways to overhaul how we treat juvenile offenders with a new statewide commission on juvenile justice reform and new best practices.

Here are the new guidelines:

The following Maryland detention policies have been reformed for juvenile offenders while implementing supportive programs to keep at-risk youth completely out of the system:

• All juveniles referred to the department after being accused of a violent crime who are not incarcerated will be placed on electronic monitoring prior to their first court appearance.
• Any youth already under electronic monitoring who is accused of a violent crime will be incarcerated.
• CARE – or Community Assistance for the Release Eligible – is a new program that works with vulnerable youth who are not incarcerated or in community custody to provide support and referrals for services to them and their families.
• The Detention Diversion Advocacy Program supports youth placed by the courts in the community while their cases are pending with intensive supervision support from credible messengers.

According to Baltimore City Police, car thefts have increased 36% in the last 28 days, and the numbers also show that as of September 27, 240 juveniles have been charged with motor vehicle-related crimes.

“This can only be stopped if everyone is on board,” said Talbert.