"Unfathomable:" Teens may be responsible for string of armed robberies; the youngest just 13
MILWAUKEE -- Officers from the Milwaukee Police Department’s Robbery Task Force arrested four teenage suspects for an armed robbery on the city's northwest side -- and are investigating whether they could be responsible for several more. One of the suspects is just 13 years old.
The latest incident happened in the early afternoon hours of Tuesday, January 3rd in the neighborhood near 81st and Nash.
Officials say a 50-year-old Milwaukee man was walking when he was approached by three suspects, one which had a gun. The suspects demanded the victim’s phone at gunpoint and then fled in a stolen 2016 Ford Focus.
The Robbery Task Force found the unoccupied Focus later that day near 27th and Clarke.
Officials say the officers watched the car until four subjects got inside it. The officers attempted to stop the car, but the driver rammed the Focus into the squad car and all four occupants fled on foot.
Following a brief foot chase, all of the suspects were taken into custody.
Officers found a rifle and several cell phones inside the Focus.
Those arrested include a 13-year-old girl, two 15-year-old boys and a 16-year-old boy.
All four suspects have previous arrest records with MPD. The 15-year-old driver has an arrest record dating back to 2011 for crimes including carjacking and armed robbery.
Three of the four suspects were on county supervision related to previous offenses.
Those living in the neighborhood near 81st and Nash said they're relieved the suspects are in custody.
"I'm fearful. The armed robberies the past couple days -- I don't even know what's happening anymore, but it's scary," a neighbor said.
The Milwaukee German Immersion School is located in the area -- and a parent of a student at the school said the kids didn't go outside for recess on Tuesday.
"She told us there was a bad person outside her school and she wasn't able to go out for recess -- and it broke my heart," the woman said.
A letter was sent home to parents, notifying them of the incident.
"They just told us they would continue to take a lot of precaution to protect the kids. It`s unfathomable that this is what kids and teens are doing right now," the woman said.
MPD is investigating further to see whether some of these suspects may be responsible for similar armed robberies across Milwaukee.
Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.