Driver spots armed 11-year-old trying to steal his bicycle, California police say

An 11-year-old boy tried to steal a bicycle while armed with a knife, California police reported.

A man sitting in his vehicle at a beach Monday, Oct. 2, spotted two youths approaching a bicycle tied to his pickup truck bed, Santa Monica police said in an Oct. 6 news release. One had a knife.

On noticing the driver, the 11-year-old threatened to cut him with the knife, then ran away with a 13-year-old companion, police said.

Police responding at 9:30 a.m. found and cited the 11-year-old on an attempted robbery charge and the 13-year-old on a charge of obstructing an investigation, officers said.

They were released to the custody of the residential care facility in San Dimas from which they had earlier run away, police said. The two were arrested twice in September on charges of carjacking and vehicle burglary.

Officers also recovered the knife dropped by the 11-year-old during a short pursuit, police said.

Santa Monica is about 15 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

This story was originally published October 8, 2023 at 10:04 AM with the headline "Driver spots armed 11-year-old trying to steal his bicycle, California police say."