SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 19, 2019 (Gephardt Daily) — Seven teenagers were taken to juvenile detention late Tuesday night after they fled from officers who were responding to a call of a burglary in progress.
The boys, ages 15 to about 17, may now be facing charges of burglary, property damage and fleeing from police.
Salt Lake City Police Lt. Dave Cracroft said the call came in at 11:06 p.m., reporting that someone was using a ladder to get on the roof of Edison Elementary School, at 466 S. Cheyenne St.
When police arrived, the young suspects fled, and police set up a containment area in an effort to round them up.
“Two of the kids went home — they live right in the neighborhood,” Cracroft told Gephardt Daily. “The father came out to see what was going on, and when he found out, he went home and brought the kids back to the police. All the parents have been cooperative.”
Cracroft said the group had stolen electrical cords, a projector — which they dropped as they ran away — and possibly another item. It is believed that they broke a skylight on the roof to gain entry into the building, he said.
Officers had taken a couple of the teens into custody and were still searching for the others when a Utah Highway Patrol trooper headed to the scene to assist in the search.
As the trooper approached 400 S. Redwood Road, he was struck by another vehicle and his airbags deployed.
Cracroft said the trooper will be OK.
The woman who struck his vehicle was next to a semi and didn’t see the trooper coming. She complained of pain in her arm and was transported to the hospital to have it looked at.
