SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Witnesses are describing ‘young’ suspects in a string of overnight armed robberies across San Diego County.
Around midnight at a Chevron on Lake Murray Blvd, police say two young robbers walked in, one pulling out a gun and demanding money.
The one with the gun wore a hoodie and mask, described as between 10 and 15 years old.
In all, there were 11 overnight armed robberies at gas stations and convenience stores, from central San Diego to La Mesa to the North County.
Police believe most, if not all, all connected. The belief is, different robbers are possibly being rotated in for the various hold-ups.
“It’s tragic and somebody’s going to get killed,” said Mark Kalish.
Kalish, a clinical psychiatrist and profiler, says when it comes to the young age of the suspects, possible factors include a lack of supervision and exposure to violence.
“They learn that from the news, smash-and-grab robberies, and they're emulating it. They see it in video games, and they’re just copying it,” said Kalish.
Kalish says when you factor in the lack of impulse control for young offenders, he doesn't see the group stopping.
“That's the big danger. Why would they stop? They’re getting what the want, and they’re getting that adrenaline rush,” said Kalish.
San Diego Police believe the crimes could also be linked to other overnight, armed robberies from the past six weeks. Detectives say it's usually one to four suspects, wearing hoodies and masks, and pointing guns at a clerk.
“As they're successful, they will become more brazen and commit more dangerous acts ... Kids will continue until something unfortunate happens,” said Kalish.
