SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Four middle schoolers arrested in connection with a burglary in Ocean Beach are suspected in several other break-ins dating back several weeks.
Before five boys were recorded running from the scene of a home break-in two Thursdays ago, children bearing similar descriptions were spotted blocks away, near other burglary scenes.
January 5th, along Atascadero Drive. Ellen returned home to find her locked back door torn open.
“We have a shovel in our backyard in our shed. They used that to wedge between the door and the jam, and leverage the door open. It broke away the framing,” said Ellen.
Missing from the living room were several items, including her laptop. Ellen believes her baby monitor captured the exact time of the break-in.
“While I was at a park with my daughter, the baby monitor triggered a loud noise around 4:08 p.m.,” said Ellen.
Minutes prior, Ellen says neighbors saw four young boys, possibly middle school age, hanging out in the alley behind her home.
Fast forward five days. On the next street over, Bernice Drive, a homeowner told ABC 10News four young boys were spotted in her back yard. She also came home to a burglary scene. A pair of AirPods were stolen from inside her home.
Neighbors spotted the boys running to another home that was broken into nearly 30 minutes later. 10 days later, those boys may have struck again.
Five boys were spotted running from Catherine Rodriguez's home on Long Branch Avenue.
Minutes before, a jewelry box full of family heirlooms had been stolen from her bedroom.
On Thursday, police arrested four juveniles in connection with that case. Sources tell ABC 10News investigators are looking into the band of middle schoolers and a series of home and commercial burglaries.
Several of the victims say they've been updated on the arrests, but are still waiting to see if their property has been recovered.
Prosecutors declined to talk about specific charges, citing confidentiality in juvenile cases.
