Juvenile Car Jackers Busted for Multiple Incidents Including Assault

Two suspects are in the Franklin County Juvenile Justice Center after being identified as being involved in a pair of vehicles thefts and a carjacking.

 WHEN DID THEIR CRIME SPREE START?

Tuesday around 1:40 PM in the 900 block of North Elm, near Ochoa Middle School a mother was offloading her kids from her Nissan Pathfinder SUV and either left the keys inside or dropped them just outside the door.

Within a couple of minutes, a teen jumped in and drove off with the vehicle. Then the following day around 11:30 AM the family saw their stolen vehicle near Lewis Street and Oregon Ave. They followed it and called Police, a search later turned up the vehicle abandoned in the 600 block of Madrona. Three car seats had been in the vehicle when it was taken, they were gone, but Police used the Community Fund to replace them for the family. When the vehicle was dumped Police found security camera footage showing six juveniles fleeing the vehicle.

 WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?

Then Wednesday evening, around 6:45 PM, a woman driving a white Chevy pickup near 9th and Ainsworth saw a group of teens by a vehicle who appeared to be having car trouble. She offered to give them a ride, but then two of them tried to carjack her near Manzanita and Helena Streets. In the scuffle, her pants were torn and she scraped her knees.

However, she fought back and was able to get her keys and phone from the assailants. Then they fled on foot. During the investigation, Police noticed two of the suspects matched descriptions of part of the six youth from the earlier incidents.

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They were located thanks to the Pasco Street Crimes unit, and a 16-and 13-year-old boy surrendered (with 'help' from their families) to Police.  The search continues for the other four suspects.