Ten juveniles suspected

BY VICTOR INGE

THE SELMA TIMES-JOURNAL

The day before they should be getting ready for school, 12 young people in Selma are facing much tougher issues.

Selma police arrested three 15-year-old males in a burglary ring Wednesday and are looking for seven other juveniles ranging in age from 11 to 17 &045; including two females &045;

and two adults.

Police said the juveniles were responsible for just less than half of the breaking and entering and burglaries committed over the past few months, which included guns that haven’t been recovered.

Authorities have confessions that helped to identify 17 counts of burglary and two counts of receiving stolen property, with which these individuals will be charged. Their parents, police said, could be slapped with formal charges, depending on how the court views each individual case.

One of the youths was transported to Hale County to the juvenile detention facility, and one was still being held and questioned by police late Wednesday. One was released into the custody of their parents, police said.

Police ordered the seven others’ parents to turn the juveniles in, but had not arrived at the police station late Wednesday. The youths will be picked up, according to Sgt. Mamie Haile of the Youth Aide Division.

Stolen property including a laptop computer, a Nintendo Gameboy and a diamond ring has been recovered, and police are hopeful other items such as a 9 mm handgun and a rifle will turn up. The 15-year-old charged with the burglary involving the gun was armed when he left the residence, Sgt. Haile said, which makes it a felony.

Police said depending on the criminal background of the 17-year-olds, they could be certified and tried as adults.

The crimes which police heard confessions to were centered around break-ins in the Old Montgomery Hwy, near Buckner and City View streets. A burglary reported at 304 Crestwood Dr., where the resident reported a variety of missing items, including a Nintendo Gameboy and games totaling $550, a diamond ring valued at $750, two digital cameras and a Dell laptop computer valued at $1,350.

Police are not sure if the juveniles are responsible for the heist.

The public safety committee of the Selma City Council met Wednesday evening, with part of their discussion centered around introducing a resolution that would enact a curfew for youths, which city officials said has been discussed for years. Councilpersons Jean Martin and Cecil Williamson and committee chairman Reid Cain agreed the time was right to bring the resolution before the city council to either &8220;vote it in or vote it down,&8221; they said.

The curfew will probably be discussed at Thursday’s work session, which council members have before each regularly scheduled council meeting.