Victims Of Juveniles' Alleged Crime Spree In Roseville Speak Out
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) - An overnight crime spree in Roseville left several cars damaged. Police say eight people are responsible, and they're all kids.
"It's like being violated, because now we have missing checkbooks out of our cars and all kinds of stuff's missing," said victim Amber Rodriguez.
Roseville police say one of the kids arrested is in the fifth grade. Local youth leaders are concerned this could be just the tip of the iceberg for summer crime.
Despite the fact we saw eight arrests in Roseville, there are activities that can keep kids out of trouble.
"[I'm] quite irritated," said victim Amber Rodriguez.
Police and neighbor irritation filled a parking lot at the West Wind Apartments on Cirby Way in Roseville on Thursday.
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"It's just, like, irritating," said an unnamed witness.
Officers say between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 3 a.m. Thursday morning, seven teens and one fifth grader went on a reckless crime spree of vandalism, robbery and burglary.
Rodriguez says she didn't know she was a victim until she noticed damage to her car.
"We came outside to take our kids to school and found all our stuff in our car all over the ground. And the car was ransacked," said Rodriguez.
All eight suspects were eventually arrested by police.
"When kids aren't engaged, they are going to find something to do -- whether it's positive or negative," said Randy Tooker, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Placer County.
Tooker says during the summer months he's not surprised to see idle teens making bad choices.
"We're really battling summer learning loss as well as keeping them engaged in positive activities," he said.
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A recent study from the U.S. Justice Department supports Tooker's observations. It shows juvenile violent crimes peaks when school is not in session, including overnight hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
"We'll have a couple of hundred kids a day 6-18 years old," he said.
Tooker says their programs attempt to fill the kids' idle time with positive constructive activities -- something victims at the West Wind Apartments wish the eight accused suspects would have taken advantage of.
"It's just irresponsible. If you need something that bad go out and get a job and work for it," said Rodriguez.
Police also found a tool in the parking lot they say was used to break into the cars. The suspects' names have not been released because of their ages.
