Statewide, and in Indianapolis, pharmacies are experiencing record high numbers of robberies – and police say adults are recruiting juveniles to commit the crimes.
Between Saturday morning and Thursday night, 13 pharmacy robberies were reported in the Indianapolis area. Six of those robberies occurred on Tuesday alone. The majority of suspects were 18 or younger – including an 11-year-old boy arrested while trying to hold up a Walgreens with a handgun.
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Police said adults recruit juveniles to commit the robberies because the penalties aren't as steep.
"The consequences for them may not be as serious as an adult, and they know this, which is why our investigators believe this is leading to this type of trend we're seeing nationwide," said IMPD Officer Rafael Diaz.
Police say kids who are successful at robbing pharmacies are given cash for the drugs that are then resold on the street for big money.
Reverend Malachi Walker is the founder of Young Men, Inc., Youth Ministries. He says adults enlisting children to commit crimes are "terrorists."
"What they're doing is putting our children in danger of losing their life, and also jeopardizing their futures, and we can't have that," Walker said.
Walker said parents need to talk to their children and intervene before somebody who isn't looking out for their interests does.
