7 juveniles arrested, under investigation in series of robberies

Juveniles caught in the act of an alleged robbery in Orland are under investigation for a string of robberies that began Nov. 12.

The arrests were made at a home on Central Street during a police stakeout, according to Orland Police Chief Bob Pasero.

Seven children - two girls and five boys ages 13 to 15 - were arrested Monday for alleged burglary, possession of stolen property and vandalism.

Pasero said Orland police are seeking conspiracy and accessory counts as well.

Following the arrests, Orland police took four bikes into custody, Pasero said. One was reported stolen in August. He said the juveniles confessed to stealing them.

On Sunday, the owner of the home where the stakeout occurred reported to police that two bicycles were stolen from a detached, residential garage, Pasero said. The owner also reported that the garage had been robbed repeatedly, according to a written statement from Orland police.

Pasero also noted that, according to the owner, the burglaries always happened at about the same time of day.

Police officers estimated the Sunday theft occurred between 2 and 3:30 p.m., Pasero said.

Two bicycles were taken along with an antique hood ornament and an antique car badge denoting the model.

After talking with the owner, officers Grant Landis and Kyle Cessna got permission to set up the stakeout in the garage at about the same time as the previous robberies, Pasero said. They sat inside the garage for about an hour before the juveniles showed up, he said.

Landis and Cessna reported that the youths attempted to kick in the door but failed, so they broke a side window, Pasero said.

They were reluctant to crawl through the window because of the broken glass, so officers Landis and Cessna walked outside, confronted and arrested them, Pasero said.

OTHER ROBBERIES
Pasero also noted that the alleged thieves, seven in total, are under investigation "for a recent series of relatively minor burglaries" in the Orland area, including
two break-ins through "the back door of the old La Perla Bar on 4th and Colusa streets."

In those robberies, he said, the back door was broken down and the thieves took a batteryoperated disco ball and several rolls of raffle tickets.

"We feel at least four to five burglaries and possibly as many as 10 recent burglaries can be attributed to these juveniles," Pasero stated. "The investigating officers have been able to tie these juveniles to a number of these burglaries either through admission or by their being in possession of property stolen in the burglaries," he stated.

Of the five boys and two girls, ages 13 to 15, the six Orland residents were taken to Glenn County Juvenile Hall for processing, Rick Batty, an officer at the facility, said.

Police plan to file a complaint on the seventh youth, who lives in Tehama County, Pasero said.

The two girls and one of the boys were turned over to their parents on Tuesday, Batty said.

Another Orland youth remains in custody on another matter. The status of the remaining two was not available immediately on Thursday.

Later their cases will be turned over to the Probation Office, Batty said, when officials will determine whether the juveniles will be sent to the district attorney's office. The district attorney will decide whether charges will be filed with the court, he said.

According to Pasero, all but one have previous arrests, ranging from shoplifting to assault and battery and weapons violations. One is suspected in a sex crime, Pasero said.