Cops break up juvenile theft ring

Friday, July 24, 2009

Nine McCook youths have been identified as being behind a string of thefts in the city recently.

The male juveniles, between the ages of 12 and 15, took items from unlocked cars, yards and open garages, according to McCook City Police Chief Ike Brown.

The thefts occurred in the past six to eight weeks and items stolen were "anything visible and available," Brown said. This included pricier items like iPods and electronic equipment such as satellite radios and GPS systems, down to sunglasses and change left in vehicles.

Brown said the incidents included 38 thefts from cars, nine garage break-ins, 11 cases of property stolen from yards and 13 instances of criminal mischief. Not all of the juveniles were involved in all of the thefts, and citations are still pending.

Known as "car hopping," the thefts occurred in all areas of the city but began on the east side of town, Brown said.

About 60 percent of the expensive items have been recovered, with the McCook Police Department still recovering other items. Some of the property retrieved has not been identified and Brown asked that if citizens who have had items stolen but did not report it, to contact the Police Department to see if their items have been recovered.

Brown commended the diligent efforts of police officers in solving the thefts and also the public for providing tips to the department.

"The input from the public was very important in getting this solved," he said.

He reminded citizens not to leave valuable items in their vehicles and to lock their cars and garages.

Thefts from cars are "crimes of opportunity," he explained and leaving items in vehicles "makes it attractive for someone to swipe it."

Items taken from cars can increase when the level of activity increases, Brown said, when a large number of vehicles are parked in a certain area, such as in parking lots in the Christmas season or during fairs.

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  • I was the victim a few years ago of these little JD's type kids and with my property damage all I got was some sorry@$$ letter of appology. When are we going to have a juville deliquent division out here at our work eith camp where these little turds can learn about real life while they work off their debt to society.

    I have NO problem with doing this to 12-17 year olds.

    -- Posted by Justin76 on Fri, Jul 24, 2009, at 2:44 PM
  • Guess these parents should have been watching the warning signs of "troubled teens". Dr. Phil had an excellent show on today on what to watch for. These kids are still young enough yet to get "redirected" into a positive direction. We as a community need to help along with parents taking responsibility for their children. Pay attention, be nosey, pry, always know what they are doing. Parents are getting too lax in their parenting skills and think "oh, my kid doesn't get into trouble". Well, guess what?

    -- Posted by FNLYHOME on Fri, Jul 24, 2009, at 4:59 PM
  • Parents need to take responsibility for what their kids are doing. They should know who their kids friends are and what they are doing. Hope these kids are punished for their actions and maybe the parent(s) should also be punished for not being responsible. A letter of apology shouldn't be the punishment

    -- Posted by mrbj on Sat, Jul 25, 2009, at 10:47 AM
  • Well as far as my understanding goes these kids only got 10-15 hours of community service apeice....

    this is pretty much a slap in the face to me. I've gotten much harsher punishment for much lesser of crimes...I think these children should have to at lease pay a HEAVY restitution for what they have done. Especially because the McCook Police Department came knocking on MY door at about 1 Am one night because of recent robberies happening in the reservation area.

    Some of my friends have had items stolen from their vehicles or garages from these kids...

    I believe that they are being let off easy because of age, wich is NO way to teach them. They KNOW what they did wrong, trust me, I know. I've had my own run ins with the law and I knew what I did every time. Wich is one reason why I'm so ****** off about this. I've been in way more serious trouble for much lesser of crimes. I dont think the police department or the court system served "justice" to these juvenile idividuals who committed these crimes.

    I completely agree with "mrjb" that a letter of apology is not the correct form of punishment. These kid should be tought that this is NOT right and that they have to take responsibility for their actions. i think the police did a F***ING **** POOR JOB with this one!

    Sorry for the foul language but thats just how i speak and I do believe that these children need to learn right from wrong, wich you should know by the time you're going into highschool......wich these children are!

    -- Posted by Tony Roe on Wed, Jul 29, 2009, at 4:25 AM
  • Tony, the police do NOT set the punishment, the court does. The police should not be cursed but instead credited for catching them.

    -- Posted by dennis on Wed, Jul 29, 2009, at 8:58 AM
  • Police do have the ability to petition the prosecutor to seek a heavier sentence and the opinion of officers does carry great weight with the prosecutor and the judge. They could have made an effort to ask for a higher punishment but they had the attitude dennis does. They just catch them, the court sentences them, end of discussion... that is, until they have a case they actually care about where they want to exercise that influence and seek a heavier or lighter sentence for an offender(s).

    Police do have a significant amount of influence that IS used when they want to use it. They could have asked to punish these kids with a sentence that would deter others from similiar behaviour but that didn't happen and now we live with it but to insinuate that police have nothing to do with an offender's sentence, ignores the reality of the way the actual justice system works and the impact of discussions that occur before a trial ever occurs.

    -- Posted by McCook1 on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 3:23 PM
  • This might be late BUT the young people in general that I have encountered are the rudest bunch of disrespectful juveniles I ever care to meet.

    We have had issues downtown with 16-18 year olds just "hanging out" at night. While the PD was frantically trying to find the thieves these older kids are damaging property downtown..I have spoke to parents..The kids deny any involvment BUT guilt by association..Tell me how did these kids chip away large hunks of a cement bench? None of them seem that ambitious. Rudeness to littering to destruction of property wonder what they will do next..

    -- Posted by ALL4MCCOOK on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 3:29 PM
  • I understand where "Tony" is coming from, but "dennis" also makes a valid point; the police are simply the ones who take the reports and investigate the complaints. If you're unhappy with the justice that's handed down (or lack thereof), keep that in the back of your mind during the next election. You know we DO have to vote whether or not to retain our judges!

    My son lost a GPS, an AM/FM/CD player, and a CB radio to these little wannabe-thugs...and if the only punishment was some "community service", that is not a fitting method of teaching the guilty ones that society doesn't tollerate this!

    From what I read in this story, there were more than 70 different places where these kids helped themselves to things...but only a little more than half of the items have been recovered. Logic would suggest the people who don't get their stuff back should deserve restitution from the guilty kids, plus their parents should be held accountable to some degree. If they were doing their job properly, maybe these kids wouldn't have taken a wrong turn.

    -- Posted by Justin Case on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 3:34 PM
  • May I suggest that a notice be communicated to all residents, to check their vehicle, garage, and property, to see if they are missing anything. I for one do not inventory my possessions on a daily basis, but instead presume that my property is still hanging on a wall, or in a vehicle, until I need it.

    I am presuming that I read the recovered article portion properly, as being 60% recovered/claimed.

    Just a thought.

    Arley Steinhour

    -- Posted by Navyblue on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 3:50 PM
  • The problem of it all is that the parents don't teach their kids very much at all anymore. You don't just toss them money and tell them to go have fun for the evening. You need to teach them which has gone by the wayside for a number of parents.

    Society has changed in a big way. Law enforcement has their hands tied, teachers can't straighten out disruptive students without getting into trouble for assault, and the parents can't turn the kid over their knee without being charged with child abuse. A spanking is now child abuse. I'm sure getting tired of these bleeding heart liberals who want to tell anyone from the low income families to the rich and famous on how to raise kids by laws they slip into us without us seeing them coming. Seems like you can get away with murder and only get a slap on the hands. Slap your kid................you all know rest. You will be jailed, the news media blows it out into orbit, the kids gets counciling for life, the rest of your kids are sent to foster homes, and you a marked for the rest of your life as an abuser. All you wanted to do was straighten up an un-ruly kid.

    These juveniles need to be, and should be tried in a court of law without a plea bargain. Plea bargains are for the faint at heart. Do the crime, do the time!!!! Apology's and plea bargains are the same.They are a cheap and easy way out.

    -- Posted by edbru on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 9:25 PM
  • ha, I still remember when Jon Oiler and his friends thought it would be awesome to drive around and shoot out windows and destroy vehicles, I got mailed a letter of apology, that he typed...signed one and then made photo copies and sent to each person. I had to pay for 2 new windows in 2 vehicles, plus repaint on one of the doors. McCook's "diversion" program is the biggest crock of bull I've ever encountered. Kids do dumb stuff and get in trouble. But reprimand them in a manner that they will not want to do this or any other stupid act again...

    I cannot believe how that group of kids at that age act, talk and dress. I see more 13 year olds who dress skankier than 24 year old ladies. WTF are these parents doing?!?!?! Why do kids not get punished at home anymore??!??! Well these kids will be doing this again, and probably bigger, worse things if they are only getting the minimum punishment...When I got that typed, photocopied letter, I went down and complained. Those little pricks should have hand written and paid reimbursement!!! I hope these kids have to pay reimbursement...I find it a total disrespect to "catch" these criminals, then just make them do some "community service". WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LOST THE MONEY DUE TO THEIR STUPID ACTS?!?!

    -- Posted by marlin on Thu, Jul 30, 2009, at 9:55 PM
  • I truely think all of you should get educated on the way the courts handle juveniles. The Police Dept make the arrest, they forward report to the County Attorney, he is the one who chooses to file charges or not. The Police can request the moon, but the decision in the CA's and no one else's. The Judge is the one who gives the sentences, she is bound by certain laws that are passed on what she can do or can't do to juveniles and there are not a lot of things out there for punishment for juveniles as they are to be rehabilited.

    The WEC is for Felony offenders, no juveniles are allowed there that is by statute, if there is a kid who would actually go there at 17 he would have to be convicted of an adult felony.

    I advise that you go to court and watch the system and see how and why it works if you don't like it, I am afraid you will have to run for office to fix all the problems with the laws, until then try to educate yourselfs before you sit back and assume things.

    -- Posted by McCook Gal on Sun, Aug 2, 2009, at 9:55 PM
  • "citations are still pending".......I don't believe any punishment has been set yet. Also, if the value is over 500 (that used to be the level at least), the crime is now a felony. I don't honestly believe the county's prosecutor would let these kids off with a simple letter of apology for these crimes. Everybody is getting their feathers are ruffled by some rumors.

    -- Posted by blueCollarWorker on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 8:20 AM
  • blue collar,

    We are referring to past crimes, with HIGHER damage rates that were let off by writing letters with NO restitution paid to victims. Just stating it's happened before and probably will happen the same again...

    -- Posted by marlin on Wed, Aug 5, 2009, at 4:04 PM
  • Marlin,

    Thanks for your reply. I get the feeling that yourself and some others were not indicating that a punishment, or lack thereof, has been dished out. However, I believe some comments were indicating that the posters already believed a punishment had been set.

    For one example, "Well as far as my understanding goes these kids only got 10-15 hours of community service apeice...." - Tony Roe

    Regardless.....I hope these kids are taught a valuable lesson and ultimately learn and grow for their mistake. A punishment will need to be severe enough that they learn the ramifications for such actions and maybe stop to think before acting in the future. I don't want to write it off as "teens will be teens" because I don't believe that poor excuse. However, I don't think we should ruin a kids life with a felony for this first stupid mistake(speculating here that it's their first). Maybe a short stint at YDC would be in order.

    -- Posted by blueCollarWorker on Thu, Aug 6, 2009, at 8:45 AM
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