5 teens, including 13-year-old, arrested for attempted carjacking in Towson, police say
BALTIMORE -- Five teens were arrested following an attempted carjacking in Towson on Saturday, Nov. 30, according to Baltimore County police.
Officers said the incident occurred in the 800 block of Dulaney Valley Road near Towson Town Center around 8 p.m.
A 17-year-old girl, a 16-year-old boy, two 15-year-old boys and a 13-year-old boy were arrested, according to officers.
Police said four of the five teens are also suspects in a reported assault that happened in the area on Friday, Nov. 29.
The carjacking and assault are both under investigation, and anyone with information is asked to call 410-887-2277.
Neighbors respond
Crimes like juvenile carjackings and theft are becoming all too common in some areas. In August, six teens were arrested for committing a string of robberies, including at The Fresh Market on the 800 block of Dulaney Valley Road.
Some neighbors spoke to WJZ off-camera, saying they were nervous about shopping in the area on Monday. Some said they quickly ran their errands before heading back home.
Others told WJZ they were cautious, but not fearful.
"Well, it concerns me, but I don't live in fear," said Rick, from Towson. "I think it's very good to be aware and just be aware of your surroundings and just pay attention. I haven't had anything bad happen yet."
NAACP calls for further investigation
Following the arrest, Randallstown NAACP shared a statement, calling for the Commission on Juvenile Reform, the Judiciary Committee and the Judicial Proceedings to investigate the incident.
According to the statement, the five teens who were arrested have all had multiple encounters with law enforcement and the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS).
"This continues to play out in communities across the state adversely affecting businesses and the communities," officials said in the statement. "We now live in a state where violent juveniles are allowed to carjack and commit violent acts against innocent Marylanders."
In the statement, Randallstown NAACP calls for an investigation into why the teens were not given resources to divert them away from the juvenile justice system and to a productive life. Officials also want to know why the teens have not been held accountable and why they were not previously detained.
"We hope leaders will make swift changes to the juvenile justice system to close the gaps and protect the innocent Marylanders," officials said in the statement.
Juvenile crime in Maryland
The surge in juvenile crime has been an ongoing issue that Maryland lawmakers have been working to address.
In November, changes to state juvenile justice laws took effect, making it possible for children ages 10 to 12 to be charged with certain crimes, including illegal gun possession and sexual offenses.
The changes also sped up the juvenile justice process, requiring that paperwork related to detained juveniles reach the State's Attorney's Office within two days.
"Before, the paperwork would come to our office maybe 25 days, 50 days, 75 days later," Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said.
In Baltimore City, juvenile crime arrests increased by 146% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to the State's Attorney's Office.
Bates pointed to truancy as one of the reasons why teens and children are getting into so much trouble.
On WJZ's all-local news at 6, Bates answered several questions from Denise Koch, saying he is cautiously optimistic the changes to the state's department of juvenile services will make a difference.
"The state's attorney's office and the police department, we have a different seat at the table in terms of what's going to happen with young people. We have more of a checks and balances with what's going on with DJS. We're having more communication and dialogue of how to hold young people accountable," Bates said. "The genie is out of the bottle, and we have to now reign it back in to hold the young people accountable."
Several recent incidents involving juveniles prompted Baltimore police and residents to partner on an initiative called Safe Growth which aims to curb crime by improving lighting, adding cameras and stopping illegal dumping.
The program is currently underway in seven Baltimore city neighborhoods and has been used in communities across the world, including in New York City and Madison, Wisconsin.
