Parents turn in their teen children to police after flash mob robberies, LAPD says
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The parents of several teenage suspects turned in their children to police after the teens allegedly participated in at least one of several flash mob robberies at Los Angeles convenience stores, authorities said.
The LAPD announced the development at a Los Angeles Police Commission meeting on Tuesday.
"The flash mob robberies -- It is interesting to hear that parents themselves were active in getting their children to be held accountable for those and to face consequences," Rasha Gerges Shields, the commission's vice president, said at the meeting. "That's good to hear and hopefully that will just deter them and lead them on a better path."
Flash mob robbers on bicycles have hit more than a dozen 7-Eleven stores in L.A. since mid-July, police said, and investigators continue to ask for help in identifying the suspects.
According to the LAPD, a "bicycle crew" - consisting of about 20 to 40 juveniles - began targeting stores on July 12.
Police said all the stores are within a short distance of each other in the Rampart, Hollywood, Wilshire, and West L.A. divisions.
At least 13 of the incidents occurred on Friday nights. The suspects - which are described as young teenagers - ride their bikes to the stores, go inside and start grabbing what they can.
"Unfortunately, sometimes they think that this isn't a big deal," said LAPD Det. Samuel Arnold said last week. "They're just maybe having a little bit of fun and we need them to understand that it is a big deal. This isn't just shoplifting. You're not just going in there and stealing some chips and some drinks. When you completely take over a store, cause thousands of dollars in damage and work in unison to create such fear in the community. That is a robbery."
Police said in several incidents, witnesses have been pushed around.
"Although there are no reported physical injuries, several witnesses continue to fear for their safety after such aggressive and callous criminal behavior," said police in a press release.
