Middle-School Burglar Busted In North Miami Beach
NORTH MIAMI BEACH (CBS4) - A visit to Toys 'R Us typically brings quite a bit of joy for kids of all ages. But for one 11-year-old boy, his actions outside a Toys 'R Us ended up with North Miami Beach Police placing him under arrest.
Police said the youth, along with two other kids, were walking around the parking lot of the toy store and peering through windows and trying door handles. So on Thursday afternoon, North Miami Beach Police set up a sting.
"These kids just roam around, looking for something to do," Tom Carney of North Miami Beach Police. "They look into windows, try door handles. If they see something, they break in."
The 11-year-old was caught on camera breaking into a locked van to steal cash and coins.
But Friday, a juvenile court judge heard that it's not the first time the kid has been on the wrong side of the law. He's also accused of other burglaries.
"And he was ruled incompetent to stand trial," said one lawyer connected to the case.
With a Creole translator by her side, the judge told her the boy would be released and put under house arrest.
The situation is not new to North Miami Beach Police.
"Well, unfortunately, with the criminal justice system being overloaded; they try their best to do restitution, maybe go into some kinds of programs," Carney said. "An 11-year-old? I doubt he'll spend anytime in jail whatsoever."
North Miami Police continue to try to find the other juvenile robbers because they told CBS4's Gio Benitez, that these types of crimes are on the rise in the area.
