Teenage Crime Spree in Clinton Hill

There were a lot of problems last year with gangs of teenagers in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill spending the after-school hours engaged in mugging residents rather than, say, doing their homework. Given the extra free time this age group has during the summer, it was no great surprise to read on The Local about a recent teenage crime spree in the area. From The Local:

Four teenagers, who police say went on a spree of the three daytime muggings over two days last week, were arrested. In the first robbery, a group of teenagers approached a 16-year-old boy at 1:20 p.m. on July 18. They demanded his property and punched him in the face and head, police said. The attack was on Gates Avenue and Saint James Place.

The next day, on July 19 at 8 a.m., a 29-year-old man was punched and robbed of his iPad, police said. He was at Clifton Place near Grand Avenue when he was approached from behind by four or five robbers, he told police. They punched him in the face and grabbed his iPad, police said.

Later that day, four teenagers accosted a 47-year-old man on Saint James Place near Greene Avenue at 1:15 p.m., police said. The teens told the man to give them all of his money or they were going to punch him in the face, police said. He refused to give the robbers his money and told them that he was calling the police. The teenagers ran away, police said.

About an hour later, at 2:25 p.m., a 13-year-old boy was arrested at Saint James Place near Greene Avenue in connection with the attempted mugging of the 47-year-old man, and the robbery of the iPad from the 29-year-old man. Three 15-year-olds were arrested at Lafayette Avenue near Grand Avenue, also at 2:25 p.m. that day, in connection with the attack on the 16-year-old boy and the attempted mugging of the 47-year-old-man. The Kings County District Attorney did not release information about the charges against the four minors.

A thirteen-year-old? Really? Depressing.