Three juveniles arrested in Indy armed robbery series

INDIANAPOLIS — Police are investigating a series of armed robberies involving teenage suspects around Indianapolis this week.

Police and court records show that at least three teenagers, aged 14 to 17, were arrested in three separate armed robberies this week.

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

The day before, Tuesday, Lawrence police arrested a 17-year-old from Gary and a 25-year-old following an armed robbery at the Marathon gas station near 42nd and Post.

That same day, an armed robbery turned into a shooting, leaving one man injured at North College. A 17-year-old and a 20-year-old were arrested.

Aside from the young age of the suspects, the cases are not linked, but some community leaders said they illustrate a growing problem.

“A lot of teenagers make bad choices and bad decisions,” said the Rev. Malachi Walker.

Rev. Walker, who kicked off his 30th annual youth empowerment camp with Young Men Inc. last month, urges the kids he mentors to think before they act.

“Our community could be a better place if a lot of young men made good decisions,” Walker said.

In a fourth case last week, a man claimed he was carjacked and his rental car stolen by seven juveniles armed with AK-47-style rifles and handguns at an apartment complex near Washington and 465.

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

In this crime series, Reverend Walker encourages all parents to warn their children that bad decisions have consequences.

“We really need to teach our young boys and girls how to make better decisions and make better choices and let them know what the consequences are,” Walker said.

Walker believes that talking to children about the need to avoid peer pressure can also prevent violence.

“One of the workshops we do during our empowerment camp is about resisting peer pressure because it’s a big issue,” Walker said. “That peer pressure can also be deadly.”

In many cases, police credit technology, including the use of automatic license plate readers, with helping them track down suspects.