I am so pleased that the Mayor is taking a stand on this issue. In contrast to Councilman Van Turner who is running around saying we don't have a gang problem and that this is an isolated incident. Yeah- isolated to Glendale. Councilman Turner needs to read the list of gang violence and take a stand instead of denying that there is a problem.

This is fairly typical gang behavior down here on the border.
Significantly, the gangs, especially the ones operating from across the border, recruit older juveniles to do the actual criminal work. They are well aware of America's juvenile crime laws and know that our law goes much easier on teens. The older guy plans and oversees while the teenagers do the actual dirty work. When arrested, the teens get a slap on the wrist and walk away.
A few years ago, we had nearly 400 cars stolen in one year from our small town of about 45,000. Most were taken across the border and sold (one ended up with the brother-in-law of the local chief of police in our nearby border town). The rest were used for illegal immigrant and drug smuggling.
A carload of older teenaged boys would be dropped off by their boss. They'd steal cars at WalMart or in an apartment complex, then head for the border (20 miles), the cops on the other side cheering them on as they came thru. Our van was one of them, but got stopped this side of the line. Kid ran into the brush, stole another car, got away.