An 11-year-old boy was arrested after an attempted armed robbery with a knife in Santa Monica.
The incident took place on Oct. 2 near the 1300 block of Santa Monica Beach around 9:30 a.m., according to Santa Monica police.
The victim, who frequently visits the beach area, said he was sitting in his truck when he noticed two suspects, an 11-year-old and a 13-year-old, approaching his truck bed. Inside the bed was a bicycle he had tied down.
The 11-year-old suspect approached the truck while holding a knife near his chest, authorities said.
The victim believed the suspect intended to steal his bike and was unaware anyone was inside the vehicle. Suddenly realizing he wasn’t alone, the boy brandished his knife and reportedly threatened to cut the victim.
Both juveniles eventually fled the area but were located a short time later. The knife used during the confrontation was dropped during a foot pursuit and later recovered by officers, police said.
Both suspects were reported runaways from a group home in San Dimas. The 11-year-old was issued a citation for attempted armed robbery and the 13-year-old was cited for obstructing an investigation.
They were later released into staff custody at the group home. Officers also discovered both suspects had been previously arrested twice in September for carjacking and burglarizing a vehicle.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Lucero at hilda.lucero@santamonica.gov, Detective Sergeant Shaun Cooney at shaun.cooney@santamonica.gov or the Watch Commander at 310-458-8427.