PCPD says teenagers had map planning their crime spree
Two juveniles with a plan caused some chaos last week during a small crime spree in Platte City.
On Jan. 11, Platte City police received a report of a burglary at a home in the 400 block of Wells Road. Not long after officers arrived, they received a call that suspicious items had been found in the back yard of a home on Florentina Street. Officer Michael Reilly said while many of the items appeared to have come from the home on Wells, many had price tags attached and appeared to be thrift store merchandise, including costume jewelry and two used DVD players. Also found at this home were backpacks belonging to two juveniles, who were also found at the home. Upon questioning by police, the two juveniles — ages 14 and 15 — confessed to their crimes, and produced the detailed maps they’d made up to plan their crime spree. “I’ve seen a lot of things over the years, but you generally don’t see people carrying maps for their crimes around like that,” Reilly said. The two youths were arrested and turned over to juvenile authorities after admitting to their crimes. According to the PCPD, their spree started at the Hillcrest Thrift Store on Branch Street in Platte City, where the two had entered the store during business hours and then hidden inside until after closing. Once alone in the store, they rifled through jewelry cases and electronics, took several items and went out the back door. According to Reilly, the two then made a pit stop at the Comfort Inn, where they tampered with a motor vehicle and attempted to break into it. Unsuccessful, they then broke into the house on Wells Road, stealing a computer and more valuable jewelry, then ditched the stolen property at the home on Florentina before their capture.