Police rounded up three boys and one girl in Manassas, charging them for their alleged roles in a recent carjacking. The subsequent juvenile theft crime charges ranged from carjacking and use of a firearm in commission of a felony to receiving stolen property.
The charges came after a 39-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman told police that three males approached them as they were parking their car on Community Drive. The couple’s account stated that two of the male parties brandished guns as they ordered them to get out of the car. Once the couple was out of the car, two of the three males got in while the other one ran away. An investigation revealed that the firearm used in the carjacking was actually a BB gun.
Local law enforcement tracked the vehicle down at a popular restaurant chain. When the police approached, there were seven people packed in the car. Four of those occupants, including a 13-year-old female who was driving, ran from the car while three back-seat passengers remained. The car remained in drive and struck one of the restaurant’s pillars. Police confirmed that the three passengers that stayed in the car had nothing to do with the carjacking.
With the aid of a canine unit and detectives, police apprehended a 17-year-old male suspect. They also caught up with two boys, ages 14 and 12, and charged them with carjacking and use of a firearm in commission of a felony.
Police believe the boys took the car to the mall following the carjacking, where they met up with some other youths. That’s when they believe the 13-year-old female entered the equation and took the wheel. She was charged with receiving stolen property, destruction of property and reckless driving.
Police continue to search for another 17-year-old suspect.
It is important that each suspect in this case gets a fair day in court, and that they are not all deemed guilty by association.
Source: Manassas Patch, “Armed Youths Carjack Vehicle,” Mary C. Stachyra, Dec. 28, 2012
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