Ski Mask, Backpack, and an Open Car Window at 5:30 A.M.: Juvenile Charged in Four Mobile Vehicle Break-Ins

Mobile police say officers came across a juvenile in a ski mask at 5:30 in the morning, standing next to a car with an open window, carrying a backpack full of things that were not his.

The juvenile male was arrested and charged with four counts of breaking and entering a vehicle.

What Officers Saw

The encounter happened just before 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 11, at The Estates at Lafayette Square, 900 Downtowner Boulevard, according to the Mobile Police Department. Officers observed the juvenile wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack, standing beside a vehicle with an open window. When they investigated, police say they found he was carrying several debit cards and prescription medication that did not belong to him.

Four Counts, Four Vehicles

Breaking and entering a vehicle is a Class C felony in Alabama under Alabama Code section 13A-8-11(b), and a person commits the offense by entering a vehicle with the intent to commit a felony or theft inside. The four counts correspond to the vehicles police allege he entered.

Juvenile Proceedings

Because the accused is a minor, the case will move through Alabama’s juvenile justice system, and the department has not released his name. Juveniles arrested in Mobile County are typically processed through the Strickland Youth Center.

Juvenile court remains the default for a case like this, but Alabama law does allow prosecutors to ask a juvenile judge to transfer a child who was 14 or older at the time of the alleged conduct to adult criminal court. The judge decides after a hearing that weighs factors such as the seriousness of the offense, the child's record and the prospects for rehabilitation in the juvenile system.

Update: Timeline of the Break-Ins Detailed, Firearm Among Items Taken

Mobile police have released additional details on the string of vehicle break-ins tied to the arrest. According to a Mobile Police Department news release, the string began July 9, when someone entered an unlocked vehicle at the Hampton Inn at 5478 Inn Road and took a firearm. That same day, someone reportedly entered another unlocked vehicle at Foosackly’s at 5125 Rangeline Road and took a purse. The following day, July 10, someone reportedly entered an unlocked car at Zaxby’s at 4385 Rangeline Road and took cards from a wallet.

The juvenile suspect was arrested Tuesday, July 14, and charged with three counts of unlawful breaking and entering a vehicle and one count of certain persons forbidden to possess a firearm. He was taken to the Strickland Youth Center.