(RepublicanView.org) – Police in New Mexico have arrested an 11-year-old for an alleged crime spree. Albuquerque Police Department Chief Harold Medina said the child was suspected of committing offenses ranging from burglary to weapons possession and was a danger to his community. Writing on Twitter, Chief Medina said, “Kids need consequences,” and law enforcement must act and “do something about the toxic mix of guns and social media.”
The boy’s identity has not been published, but he is a suspect in crimes, including a car theft on May 5. A week later, a woman reported four juveniles throwing rocks at her windows, and the notorious 11-year-old is believed to have been among them. A 12-year-old made a 911 call reporting the same behavior elsewhere on the same day.
On May 17, a witness told Albuquerque Police Department officers that a gray Kia was used to crash through the door of a commercial property, causing $15,000 worth of damage. On May 29, a male victim reported that he was shot by youths in a Kia after he asked them not to park in front of his house. The group of four juveniles became known locally as the “Kia Boyz” – the name of a new phenomenon involving youths allegedly stealing Kia vehicles to commit crimes.
The criminal trend dates back to 2021 when lawbreaking teens posted online that Kia and Hyundai cars were particularly easy to steal. Anonymous thieves allegedly began documenting their thefts on TikTok and teaching others to do the same.
Another shooting on June 1 indicated to police that the primary suspect was escalating and presented a significant threat to public safety. Information from witnesses, as well as CCTV footage and victim statements, police were able to identify the suspect and obtain an arrest warrant.
The 11-year-old is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a minor, shooting at or from a motor vehicle, aggravated battery, and five further offenses.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanView.org
