Teenagers under arrest for weekend crimes

LEE COUNTY, Fla.-  Two teenagers who spent the weekend committing armed felonies in North Cape Coral are now behind bars.

On Sunday, officers responded to 111 Del Prado Boulevard N. on a robbery call. The victim reported that two suspects approached her and snatched cash from her hand.

Jennifer Snoeck works at a bar near the location. She says she saw one of the teens scoping the shopping center out earlier that day.

“He was actually looking in my window of the van and then went away,” said Snoeck.

After setting up a perimeter, authorities say two males matching the given description were seen running through the yard of 111 NE 16 Place, scale a fence and continue running despite commands to stop.

A witness tells WINK News one of the teens was having a hard time getting away.

“Trying to run and skip at the same time so he wouldn’t lose his pants… Then the cops showed up, real quick, and they went into the back and I heard the cops say ‘freeze!'”

Police tracked the suspects to a home on the 1700 block of NE 1st Terrace. Neighbors told officers they saw two males run into the residence.

Officers were able to detain five people in the backyard of the house. Two were positively identified as the robbery suspects, the others were not involved in this incident.

Detectives obtained consent to search the home and were able to find the clothing worn by the suspects during the robbery, and a firearm.

Surveillance video from the robbery also confirmed the identities of the suspects, ages 14 and 16.

Police say the two teenagers were also identified as suspects of a carjacking that occurred around 6:30 p.m. Saturday night at the Racetrack located nearby on Del Prado Boulevard N.

According to authorities, the teenagers were armed during both incidents.

WINK News is not identifying the minors because of their age. The teenagers are facing charges of armed robbery, resisting officers, and armed carjacking.