'Let's not throw them away': Addressing recent increase in juvenile crimes in the Triangle

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- For several weeks families, students, and business owners across several communities in Wake and Durham counties have been victims of car break-ins.

The culprits left in their path smashed windows, shattered glass, and headaches for owners. It's the aftermath of what police said are two groups of juveniles, with ties to gangs, breaking into cars across the Triangle.

"The number one thing that we're seeing is that kids are breaking into cars to steal firearms," said North Carolina Secretary of Juvenile Justice William Lassiter.

He oversees the state's juvenile facility operations, juvenile court services, juvenile community programs, and juvenile intervention and treatment programs.

Lassiter said in the most recent arrests, all 9 of those kids arrested were approved for court.

"But putting a kid in detention for 10 days and then sending them back home with mom and dad, where you didn't work with them at all, is not going to fix the problem," he said.

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But the problem of terrorizing communities is getting progressively worse.

From July 1 through August 9, there have been 264 juvenile car break-in complaints filed in Durham and Wake counties, compared to 139 from 2022-2023.

"Even if they're not in detention today, they still have a trial date that's coming up. And that judge could order them to go to detention as part of the actual conclusion of that trial," Lassiter said.

The Deputy Secretary said when a police department files a complaint against a juvenile, an assessment tool determines the child's threat level to the community or themselves.

"Did they have a prior history? How young are they? What types of crimes did they commit? Are they involved with other gang activity or things like that," he said.

But Lassiter says not every child should be locked up.

"Let's not throw them away at 12 years old and say they're not fixable, or not being able to become citizens, good citizens, in our society," he said.