Teens Burglarize Target, Get Caught by Renton PD

What began as an evening of "hanging out or going to the gym" ended up in arrest for two Renton High School teens.

Instead of shooting hoops of watching a movie, the two 17-year-olds walked to The Landing and attempted to steal $17,163.68 of merchandise from Target.

Shortly after 1 a.m. on Feb 16 Target security Called the Renton Police Department to report a burglary in process. Two males, dressed in blue jeans and black hoodie sweatshirts, broke a large window at the front of the store, went inside and were in the process of breaking into locked displays in the electronics section, according to the report. Target Security continued to watch the burglary unfold on a live video stream via store security cameras. The burglars smashed "about seven" locked electronics display cases, loaded the goods into duffel bags, also stolen from Target, and ran toward the back of the store.

But the duo wasn't done.

The teens returned to the electronics department — this time with a shopping cart — and loaded it with more merchandise.

Not long after Renton Police arrived at the department store and set up a silent, visual parameter, did an officer spot the burglars as they walked out of a back emergency exit door.

The suspects not only matched the description given by Target security, but "one subject was carrying numerous duffel bags and the other was pushing a shopping cart," according to the police report.

Police arrested both suspects, although not without incident.

Both suspects hid among the bushes along the outside of the building, according to the report. One complied with the officers fairly quickly and admitted to taking part in the burglary, while the other teen put up a struggle with an officer and a dog from the K9 unit named "Boss." The tussle resulted in stitches for the uncooperative teen.

The stolen merchandise included two T-Mobile prepaid cell phones, two iPads, two Nikon D500 cameras, two PS3 games, two Xbox 360 games, seven iPod Shuffles, eight iPod Nanos, 20 iPod Touches, plus two more duffel bags full of electronics, all new and in-the-box. All items were returned to the store. A large piece of plywood remained over the broken window until the first week in March when it was replaced.

The teens were booked and processed into the Score jail. One teen was later booked into the King County Juvenile Detention Center for burglary. The other teen, who has "a lack of criminal history," was released to his mother.

The local Target Team Leader referred Renton Patch to Target's corporate office for comment. The corporate office did not return calls from Renton Patch.