3 teenagers arrested after series of armed robberies in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS – This week, police are investigating a series of armed robberies in the Indianapolis area involving juvenile suspects.

Police and court records show that at least three teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 were arrested this week for three separate armed robberies.

On Wednesday afternoon, police arrested a 14-year-old and an 18-year-old in connection with an armed robbery involving tennis shoes at the Sterling Apartments near Madison and Stop 11.

A day earlier, on Tuesday, Lawrence police arrested a 17-year-old from Gary and a 25-year-old after an armed robbery at the Marathon gas station near the corner of 42nd Street and Post.

On the same day, an armed robbery occurred at North College in which one man was injured and led to the arrest of a 17-year-old and a 20-year-old.

There is no connection between the cases other than the young age of the suspects, but some community leaders said they illustrate a growing problem.

“Many teenagers make bad choices,” said Reverend Malachi Walker.

Reverend Walker, who launched his 30th annual youth empowerment camp with Young Men Inc. last month, urges the children he mentors to think before they act.

“Our community could be a better place if many young men would simply make good choices,” Walker said.

In a fourth case last week, a man claimed he was the victim of a carjacking and his rental car was stolen by seven youths armed with AK-47 rifles and handguns from an apartment complex near Washington and 465.

According to the affidavit in the case, a 20-year-old was arrested for the crime, although none of the other six juvenile suspects were caught.

In light of this series of crimes, Reverend Walker urges all parents to warn their children that bad choices have consequences.

“We really need to teach our young boys and girls how to make better decisions and choices and understand the consequences of that,” Walker said.

Walker believes that violence can also be prevented by talking to children about how to avoid peer pressure.

“One of our workshops during our empowerment camp is about resisting peer pressure, because that’s a big topic,” Walker said. “Peer pressure can also be deadly.”

In many cases, police believe that technology, particularly the use of automatic license plate readers, will help them locate and apprehend suspects.