“I think when you commit a crime, you have to take the time necessary to do it, no matter how old you are.” The local entrepreneur says young people need to be held accountable for crimes

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – After a spike in juvenile crime in Colorado Springs, a local business owner says enough is enough. In surveillance video taken at the Pharmacy Dispensary on South Academy Boulevard, several masked suspects can be seen racing through the store, causing extensive damage. The owner told 11 News the suspects stole thousands of dollars in cash and merchandise.

This is the latest in a string of crimes that Colorado Springs police say they are pursuing that may be related to minors. 11 News knows there have been at least three dozen such crimes this year alone. During an interview earlier this summer, a police spokesman said it was challenging to crack down on this type of crime because minors don’t face as severe penalties as adults

“The scary thing is seeing the young community, these teenagers, breaking into buildings and completely destroying everything you’ve worked so hard for,” said the pharmacy owner, who declined to give her name.

Juvenile crime is exactly what Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen tells 11 News he will focus on in his next term.

“One of the things we’ll be working on legislatively is hopefully increasing the number of beds so we can keep more violent juvenile offenders in custody pending trial,” District Attorney Michael Allen of the Fourth Judicial District said on election night.

Allen added that the office has already made some progress, adding two additional juvenile prosecutors to its legal team to assist with cases.

“It’s out of control. These kids are doing things with guns, shooting at communities, obviously the smash and grab exercises are mostly teenagers. We have to get this under control,” Allen said.

Accountability is something that business owners like the pharmacy owner demand.

“I feel like when you commit the crime, you have to do the time, no matter how old you are. I think if you’re an older teenager, almost an adult, if not already an adult, you should be held accountable for this crime,” the owner said.

If you recognize any of the suspects in this story, please call the police.

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