Crime & Safety

Teens Steal Cars, Booze While Family Sleeps

The early-morning crime spree ended out on Green Valley Road.

Two teenagers got into a mess of trouble early Saturday when allegedly broke into a house, stole alcohol and the keys to two vehicles, then tried to flee but crashed one car, Watsonville police reported.

The teens fled in the second stolen car—all while the family they were robbing was asleep.

The boys, ages 14-16, reportedly broke into a house on 500 block of Cereze Street, off Bridge Street, after 3 a.m. by coming in through an unlocked side door. They took booze and the keys to the family's two vehicles, police said.

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The plan apparently was to steal both cars, but while one of the teens was trying to drive his stolen car away, he crashed into another parked vehicle. They abandoned the wrecked car and piled into the other vehicle to flee, police reported.

The crash woke people in the house and they called 911 at 3:41 a.m., police said. Officers put out a "Be On The Lookout" alert for the stolen vehicle and, a short time later, a sheriff's deputy spotted the car on Green Valley Road near Carnation Drive, police reported.

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Deputies and Watsonville police stopped the car at gunpoint and arrested the boys.

Police said they found six car stereos and two illegal knives in the car. They're investigating to see if the stereos were stolen.

The boys were booked into Juvenile Hall on suspicion of vehicle theft, hit and run, possessing illegal knives and burglary. Their names were not released because of their age.


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