The four teens were remanded to the Butler County Juvenile Detention Center, where they have been since they were arrested and charged last week. Three of the teens were arrested July 16, and the fourth was arrested July 17, according to police and court records.
MORE: 3 Middletown teens, all high school students, charged for incident involving burglary with guns
All four are charged with aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; theft of a firearm and tampering with evidence, third-degree felonies; and carrying a concealed weapon and obstructing official business, fifth-degree felonies, according to court records. One of the teens also was charged with firing a weapon within city limits after he allegedly fired a .380 caliber gun on Queen Avenue.
Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser said if a 16-year-old used or brandished a gun during the burglary, the case will have a mandatory bind over. But if the 15-year-old used a weapon, the bind over will be discretionary.
Gmoser said his office is “very concerned” about the gun violence involving teens in Butler County. He called charges “very serious” and said he’s bothered by teens associating with guns.
“I’m concerned about that,” he said.
On July 16, the suspects allegedly entered a Middletown home in the 2200 block of Tytus Avenue, displayed guns and stole guns and jewelry, according to Middletown police. They allegedly demanded a juvenile in the home open a safe where four firearms were stolen, according to a Middletown police report obtained by The Journal-News. Witnesses told police they heard one suspect tell the teen who lived in the house to open the safe or he’d be shot.
The Journal-News is not naming the suspects because they are under 18.
A 911 caller told a Middletown dispatcher that juveniles came into his house and forced him to open the gun safe.
MORE: 911 caller: ‘I just got robbed’ of guns out of safe in Middletown
“I just got robbed,” the caller said.
He said he lived in the 2200 block of Tytus Avenue and “these kids just came to my house with a gun and forced me to open our gun safe.”
He described several of the suspects, told the 911 dispatcher he knew them and identified the stolen guns.
Maj. David Birk said police recovered three guns allegedly used in the burglary. No shots were fired inside the Tytus Avenue residence and no one was injured, he said. At least four people were inside the residence at the time of the burglary, according to the report.
Birk said police recovered jewelry and guns allegedly stolen during the home invasion. The guns belonged to the grandfather of the boy who lives on Tytus Avenue, police said.
When police arrived at the residence on Oxford State Road, they saw seven to 10 juveniles inside an attached garage. When police announced their presence, several teens ran away, according to a report. Police interviewed some of those who remained inside the garage and they told police one of the suspects was talking about “hitting a rift,” slang for committing a robbery, the report read.
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