A pizza delivery driver was carjacked. Two children, ages 12 and 13, were arrested
Two children, ages 12 and 13, were arrested over the weekend in connection with a San Leandro carjacking, police said.
The case started the day after Thanksgiving, when the victim of the carjacking was delivering a pizza. Four suspects, one of whom was armed, "forcefully removed" him from his vehicle, took his keys and sped away, according to the San Leandro Police Department.
At 9 a.m. Sunday, a patrol officer spotted several occupants inside the stolen vehicle near a Walmart a few miles away in the city south of Oakland. When the occupants entered the store, the patrol officer summoned additional officers to the scene.
Moments later, the group exited the store and police arrested two juveniles in connection with the carjacking. The others in the group, all juveniles, were released to their families, authorities said.
Lt. Matt Barajas with the San Leandro Police Department said Tuesday that similar cases involving young people have been increasing.
"Unfortunately, it's becoming more common these days," he said. "I've been in law enforcement for 15 years, and I've started to see more cases like this come across our purview than we'd like."
In April, San Leandro police arrested four juveniles — an 11-year-old, a 12-year-old and two 14-year-olds — in connection with a different carjacking.
The two who were arrested Sunday were taken to juvenile hall, Barajas said. Because of their status as juveniles, he could not comment on whether they were still in custody.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
