An 11-year-old boy was arrested Monday for an alleged robbery attempt with a knife in California, police say.
The alleged incident took place Monday around 9:30 a.m. near the 1300 block of the beach, according to the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD). The victim was reportedly sitting in his truck near the beach when he allegedly saw the two suspects, ages 11 and 13, approach his truck. The pair was allegedly eyeing the bicycle he tied to the rear of his vehicle.
“The suspect approached the truck while holding a knife near his chest,” the SMPD said in a statement. “The victim believed that the suspect was unaware of his presence inside the truck and was attempting to steal his bike. Upon realizing the truck was occupied, the youth threatened to cut the victim with the knife.”
Both suspects, identified as runaways from a facility in San Dimas, initially fled the scene but were subsequently located and arrested. They have since been released into the custody of staff from the facility. (RELATED: REPORT: Police Dispatched To Britney Spears’ Home After Concerning Knife-Dancing Video)
An 11-year-old boy was arrested after an attempted armed robbery in Santa Monica.https://t.co/8YnnoZzbnX
— KTLA (@KTLA) October 7, 2023
Law enforcement issued citations to both youths. The 11-year-old suspect was cited for attempted armed robbery while the 13-year-old received a citation for obstructing an investigation. Both suspects had reportedly been arrested twice in the month of September for allegedly carjacking and burglarizing a vehicle, per the SMPD records.
The Santa Monica Police Department continues to investigate the incident and is appealing to the public for any pertinent information that can aid in their ongoing efforts. “Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Lucero at hilda.lucero@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Shaun Cooney at shaun.cooney@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander (24 hours) at 310s-458-8427.”