2 teens arrested for Baltimore carjacking as leaders work to address juvenile crime
BALTIMORE -- Two teens were arrested for a carjacking that occurred in Baltimore's Patterson Place neighborhood on Friday, Dec. 13, according to police.
Baltimore Police officers responded to the reported carjacking around 12:50 a.m. in the 2400 block of East Fairmount Avenue.
When they arrived on the scene, officers discovered that a 39-year-old man and 45-year-old woman were approached by a group of six Black males, some of whom were armed with guns.
The group demanded car keys from one of the victims before fleeing in the victim's vehicle, according to officers.
Around 2:12 a.m., officers found the vehicle in the 1000 block of North Kenwood Avenue. The suspects attempted to flee the scene on foot, but were taken into custody after a short chase, officers said.
A loaded handgun was recovered at the scene, according to officers.
As a result, two 14-year-old boys were arrested and taken to the Juvenile Justice Center for processing.
The arrest happened one day after four teens were released to the custody of their parents after being arrested for an unarmed carjacking.
Baltimore Police said one of the teens targeted an 81-year-old woman, grabbing her keys and forcing his way into her car before fleeing the scene on Thursday, Dec. 12.
The car was recovered shortly after, and a 15-year-old girl and three 15-year-old boys were arrested. Officers said the three boys were not strangers to law enforcement and had previous handgun burglary and assault arrests.
Juvenile Crime in Baltimore
Though crime rates dropped in the city this year, as of November, youth carjackings are up 233% compared to 2023 and robberies involving juveniles are up 44%, according to data from Baltimore Police.
On the other hand, juvenile crime arrests rose by 146% compared to 2023 as lawmakers worked to address the surge this year, according to Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates.
Maryland's Juvenile Reform Act went into effect this year, making it so children between 10 and 12 can be charged with certain offenses like gun possession and auto theft. The new law also increases transparency by allowing the state's attorney's office to review cases for juveniles under the supervision of the Department of Juvenile Services.
Baltimore Police have also partnered with city residents to address juvenile crime through an initiative called Safe Growth.
The initiative aims to improve crime hotspots by adding lighting and cameras and preventing illegal dumping.
Similar initiatives have also been used in other U.S. cities like New York City and Madison, Wisconsin among others.
