Oakland Police Reports Jump In Juvenile Crime
OAKLAND (KCBS) – The Oakland Police Department has seen a marked increase in the number of juveniles committing crimes this year.
More than 400 minors have been arrested for various crimes so far in 2012, including for armed robbery and burglary.
That includes three teen boys and a girl, who were arrested on Sunday after entering a man's home near the Oakland Zoo and attempted to rob him at gunpoint.
KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:
"Overall, we've arrested 419 juveniles for various offenses, including street robbery, which we've arrested 46 juveniles so far this year," said Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan.
And the ages of the juveniles committing offenses is getting younger as Jordan said a couple have been as young as 12 and were arrested for burglaries.
"I'm very surprised by that. I have two teenage daughters and I can't imagine them being involved in some of the things that these kids are doing right now," Jordan said.
He calls these crimes of opportunity and said the majority of the time, the kids being arrested are committing crimes with other young people.
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