Four unprosecutable criminals were detained twice in one day

The issue of gangs of underage minors not subject to criminal charges in La Plata regained relevance after the murder of Kim Gómez, where a 14-year-old was arrested as a suspect. According to figures from the Bonaerense Police, in 2023 nearly 500 minors were arrested for about 800 crimes in the provincial capital.

These groups, generally composed of street children who don't even remember their ID number, often engage in attempted thefts in supermarkets and kiosks, motorcycle and bicycle thefts through "gate-lifting" attacks. However, due to their status as not subject to criminal charges, they enter and leave police stations within hours, in some cases, several times in a single day.

Last Thursday, a particularly unpleasant episode highlighted the magnitude of the problem. Officers from the 1st Police Station of the Bonaerense Police arrested four teenagers at the corner of 8 and 47, of whom only one was over 16 years old. All claimed to live on the street.

The police intervention occurred after a merchant's report, who noted that businesses in the area were alerting each other through WhatsApp groups about the presence of the minors, who entered the premises to cause disturbances and attempt theft. According to his account, when they were prevented from taking merchandise in his kiosk, one of them defecated on the spot before fleeing.

After the arrest by the Bonaerense Police, the four underage offenders were quickly released, handed over to the local Child and Adolescent Service, as established by legislation for minors not subject to criminal charges. One of them had already been arrested twice during the same year for attempted theft and larceny, reflecting a pattern of recidivism in his criminal behavior.

This episode was not isolated, as the same teenagers had been arrested earlier the same day for attempting to loot the trunk of a Renault parked on 19th Street. The report, made through a 911 call, led to police intervention and their arrest at the 5th Police Station. However, just like in the first case, they were released within hours.

This incident reflects the serious situation caused by youth crime, in a context where legislation prevents criminal penalties for minors under 16, creating a vicious cycle of arrests and releases that concerns both merchants and residents.