http://www.insidebayarea.com/news/ci_12164629
Very young guns: Boys try to rob Oakland store of candy, cash with BB gun
By Angela Hill, Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/17/2009 09:19:16 AM PDT
Updated: 04/17/2009 09:25:32 AM PDT
OAKLAND -- It was no mere game of cops and robbers when two young boys, ages 8 and 10, used a BB gun to try to hold up an AM/PM convenience store at an ARCO gas station in East Oakland Thursday night, demanding candy and cash, police said.
"It's very sad that kids so young would be trying to do something like this," said Oakland police spokesman Off. Jeff Thomason.
Just after 7 p.m., police received a report of an armed robbery in progress at the AM/PM at 98th Avenue and International Boulevard. Once officers arrived, the store clerk directed them to the two young boys who were still in the store, Thomason said.
"They had come in and told the clerk they didn't have any money, but they wanted candy and the money in the register," he said. "And they showed the clerk the gun."
Specifically, the boys demanded gum and Push Pops, Thomason said.
Officers searched the boys, and found one concealing the gun. "A BB gun isn't just a plastic toy gun," Thomason said. "You can hurt someone with that."
The boys are apparently cousins and live at the same address. Police called their parents, gave them a "notice to appear" and turned them over to their parents' custody, he said.
"A notice to appear is in lieu of taking them to juvenile hall," he said. "But we're looking at charges for this. Armed robbery. They will have to appear in juvenile court."
Very young guns: Boys try to rob Oakland store of candy, cash with BB gun
By Angela Hill, Oakland Tribune
Posted: 04/17/2009 09:19:16 AM PDT
Updated: 04/17/2009 09:25:32 AM PDT
OAKLAND -- It was no mere game of cops and robbers when two young boys, ages 8 and 10, used a BB gun to try to hold up an AM/PM convenience store at an ARCO gas station in East Oakland Thursday night, demanding candy and cash, police said.
"It's very sad that kids so young would be trying to do something like this," said Oakland police spokesman Off. Jeff Thomason.
Just after 7 p.m., police received a report of an armed robbery in progress at the AM/PM at 98th Avenue and International Boulevard. Once officers arrived, the store clerk directed them to the two young boys who were still in the store, Thomason said.
"They had come in and told the clerk they didn't have any money, but they wanted candy and the money in the register," he said. "And they showed the clerk the gun."
Specifically, the boys demanded gum and Push Pops, Thomason said.
Officers searched the boys, and found one concealing the gun. "A BB gun isn't just a plastic toy gun," Thomason said. "You can hurt someone with that."
The boys are apparently cousins and live at the same address. Police called their parents, gave them a "notice to appear" and turned them over to their parents' custody, he said.
"A notice to appear is in lieu of taking them to juvenile hall," he said. "But we're looking at charges for this. Armed robbery. They will have to appear in juvenile court."
