CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) -- Amid a young boy’s ‘calmness under pressure,’ a neighborhood is rallying together to help solve a crime spree.
Early Tuesday afternoon, Tess says she got a call from her 11-year-old son, who was at home with his 14-year-old sister. Her son had looked out the patio door and saw an older teen - wearing a hoodie and backpack - staring at him, trying to open the screen door.
She says he yelled at him to leave because he was going to call 9-1-1. The stranger turned around, hopped a fence and took off.
Tess called the police, but as soon as they got there, they left. Blocks away there was a report of a break-in on a second-floor balcony door.
She tells us the descriptions in that case matched those offered by neighbors near Tess’ home. One neighbor tells 10News they saw four older teens wearing hoodies and backpacks a half hour before the patio door encounter.
When police came back, Tess says, “They told us the group was likely the ‘backpack gang’ that’s been breaking into homes and cars in Eastlake and Otay Ranch.”
Tess says word has spread quickly and neighbors vow to be extra vigilant.
