3 teens accused of stealing car, using taser to rob woman in Gig Harbor, leading police on high-speed chase
Police: Teens arrested after using stun gun on woman
Three 16-year-olds are accused of going on a crime spree through King and Pierce Counties. Police say they were stealing cars, attacking strangers and leading police on a high-speed chase. Thankfully all three are now in custody. The question police ask, is how long will these teenagers stay locked up?
GIG HARBOR, Wash. - Three 16-year-olds went on a crime spree through King and Pierce Counties, reportedly stealing a car, attacking strangers and leading police on a high-speed chase.
"It’s shocking, is what it is," said Detective William Muse with the Tacoma Police Department (TPD).
Muse said two girls and a boy, all 16-years-old, stole a car in King County. The teens then robbed someone in another part of King County, he said.
According to Gig Harbor Police, the teens immobilized a woman at the Costco at Harbor Hill Drive and Borgen Boulevard. Police say one of the girls used a stun gun on the woman and tried to steal her purse. Police say the kid criminals were able to nab another woman’s purse as she loaded bags into her car.
Gig Harbor Police say the teenagers tried to use the stolen credit cards in Tacoma.
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Tacoma Police say the car full of teenagers sped away, sometimes reaching speeds of 100 mph. Muse said TPD officers, with the assistance of Washington State Patrol, were able to stop the car in Federal Way.
"It was learned that one of the female suspects that were involved in this matter, had been arrested approximately three weeks prior for being in possession of a stolen car, and jokingly admitted that she had removed her ankle monitoring bracelet prior to committing these crimes," said Muse.
Muse says accountability is needed.
FOX 13 News spoke with Pierce County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Diane Clarkson, about this issue recently.
Clarkson works within the juvenile court system.
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She says the problem will only continue to get worse until these young violent offenders see consequences.
"We’re just creating career criminals," she said. "Nobody’s winning. The young person isn’t winning. The families aren’t winning. The community isn’t winning," Clarkson added.
Muse says everyone plays a part in fixing the problem.
"It takes a village. We need more community involvement. We need more family involvement. We need the kids to be able to look at their own lives, and realize their lives are worthwhile," he said.
Gig Harbor Police believe there may be other people victimized by the teens in the Costco parking lot.
They ask anyone who knows about the incident to contact them at 253-851-2236.