3 teens arrested, after a car break-in on Marble Street in Springfield

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Three teenagers arrested in Springfield in connection with a stolen car on Marble Street on Wednesday morning. The latest in a pattern, one local lawmaker said this is only made worse by the warm weather.

Western Mass News was told there’s an uptick of juvenile-involved crime here in Springfield, especially when it comes to car break ins and thefts.

Springfield Police arrested three teenagers in connection with a stolen car spotted on Marble Street late Wednesday morning.

Officials took the teens into custody after briefly chasing them on foot. They also confiscated a BB gun.

Springfield Police spokesperson Ryan Walsh explained they had previously caught one of the suspects, a 15-year-old, with a machine gun and two other firearms, back in February.

“There’s unfortunately really just a lack of consequences,” said Walsh. “When you’re talking about two months ago a juvenile is caught with a machine gun and two firearms and here, they are out joyriding in a stolen vehicle and running from the police.”

He told us this is just the latest in the growing problem of youth-involved crime in the city. He said most of the city’s car break-ins involve young suspects.

“What we have been seeing is those arrested for these car breaks or stolen motor vehicles have been juveniles,” said Walsh. “A lot of it stems from these Hondas and Kias in that TikTok challenge where people were breaking into those cars.”

State representative Carlos Gonzalez said the issue isn’t unique to Springfield.

“From police departments across western Massachusetts, there seems to be an uptick as the summer months come up, young kids are getting involved in things that they shouldn’t,” said Gonzalez.

Walsh blames a “lack of consequences” for the uptick.

“It’s unfortunate but with how some of the laws are in the state, kids are sometimes treated with kid-gloves when they actually need some consequences to learn about their behavior,” said Walsh.

But representative Gonzalez isn’t so sure.

“I strongly believe we could be doing more preventive work instead of intervention work,” said Gonzalez. “I think that putting kids in the criminal justice system is not the appropriate way. However, we need to have some consequences.”

But both Walsh and Gonzalez agree, it starts at home, Walsh called for more cooperation from parents.

“Unfortunately, it’s a lot of times 2 o’clock, 3 o’clock in the morning with these car breaks and stolen vehicles,” said Walsh. “So there needs to be some kind of parental input in that. Making sure your kids are home and knowing what they’re doing.”

Representative Gonzalez told us after school programs, like the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, are great resources for kids that serve as that prevention he was mentioned.

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