Younger criminals committing crimes in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Police officers are trying to figure out the motivation behind a string of robberies mostly on Milwaukee's east side.  The most recent robbery attempt happened when a group of six teenagers approached a 19-year-old woman near Bradford and Maryland on the east side Thursday night.  They hit her with some sort of object then tried to take her cell phone. Those suspects initially stole a car in the 2600 block of N. Oakland Ave. 



They use the car to drive around the area and search for another victim. They found that 19-year-old woman on Bradford on the east side. Officers noticed the car near 2nd and Locust that's when they tried to pull it over.  The suspects drove off. Police pursued the car and about six minutes later the car crashed into a light pole near 60th St. and Center Street.  The six suspects try to run but officers were able to catch them and arrest them. They recovered some items that had been stolen in previous robberies. This group included four boys and two girls. They range in ages from 14 years old to 17-years-old. Police chief Ed Flynn says this type of crime where it's groups of teenagers has happened suddenly.   



\"We're seeing more young offenders being arrested for a first offense of robbery or carrying a gun.  Before the first offense might be shoplifting or larceny. Then a percentage of those young offenders would work their way up,  Now we're seeing groups of young offenders who've never been arrested before getting arrested in a robbery or spree of robberies.\"



Chief Flynn says people need to be aware of their surroundings.  He says people don't pay attention because they're too busy on their cell phones as they walk around. He says that's inviting to a criminal because it advertises that you have a valuable item and that you're not aware of your surroundings.