#Bridgeport, CT – Sept. 20, 2013 – A 16-year-old male faces narcotics charges after he was detained by officers addressing a recent increase in street robberies.

Officers Roderick Doda and Roberto Quintanilla were participating in a city-wide effort to address an emerging pattern of street robberies. The pattern involves groups of young people on bikes or scooters committing street robberies and assaults. From what has been observed, the incidents appear to be crimes of opportunity and involve young males riding in numbers, often with two on the same bike. They accost victims and steal their possessions and often bikes.

“This isn’t an epidemic but any time we see any trend emerge, we develop a strategy to attack it,” said Deputy Police Chief Adam Radzimirski. “As soon as we saw a pattern develop in recent robberies, the detective and patrol divisions formulated a plan.”

On Wednesday, Doda and Quintanilla were on patrol at Washington and Sanford avenues at 10:30 p.m. in an area where police experienced recent robberies. They observed two youths riding on one bike. A short time later, they observed the same two youths riding on two bikes, which fit the pattern of recent robberies and thefts.  Based on their observations they decided to stop the youths to investigate.

The 16-year-old acknowledged to police that there were drugs in his jacket pocket and police recovered eight baggies of what later tested positive for the presence of narcotics.

The youths did not have an explanation for how they obtained a second bicycle in such a short period of time. The second bike was taken to police headquarters for safe keeping. Police also recovered a rock in the suspect’s pocket. Victims in previous incidents reported being assaulted with rocks.

The youth was charged with possession with intent to sell narcotics. The other was released.