A 15-year-old Winnipeg boy has been accused of stealing a car and breaking into several others just hours after Manitoba Public Insurance sued him for damage he caused during a previous crime spree.
The teen -- who can't be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act -- was arrested Monday and is being held in custody at the Youth Centre. Despite his tender age, he is already considered a Level 4 auto thief by police, the highest-risk designation.
Court records obtained by the Free Press show MPI filed a $13,000 claim against the teen on June 24. They are seeking compensation for six vehicles he either damaged or destroyed in 2006, beginning when he was just 12 years old.
He is accused of responding to the lawsuit by going out and doing the very thing that previously landed him in trouble.
Police say the teen and three youth co-accused stole a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am from a parking lot in the 1400 block of Notre Dame Avenue on June 25.
They allegedly held on to the vehicle for several days. Police say around 2:30 a.m. Monday, the teens drove to the 100 block of Boulton Bay and broke into several parked vehicles. Cash and three sets of golf clubs were taken.
After officers observed the car speeding northbound on Kenaston Boulevard, police followed it to Portage Avenue and Strathcona Street where the suspects abandoned the car and ran away on foot.
Police said three teens were arrested nearby, and one teen was arrested around 5:30 a.m. at a residence on the 500 block of Flora Avenue.
The 15-year-old boy, along with a 14-year-old girl, 17-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy each face charges of mischief and theft.
MPI has been increasingly vigilant in going after young car thieves for damages caused. Last year, they obtained a $100,000 judgment against one of the city's most notorious bandits.
Although the chances of actually collecting the money are slim, the civil penalties are never erased and would be collected if the person were to ever find regular employment or even win the lottery. Offenders are also restricted from ever obtaining a driver's licence while owing money to MPI.
In the case for which he is now being sued, the 15-year-old stole a 1996 Dodge Caravan in April 2006, just days before he celebrated his 13th birthday. He also stole a 1991 Plymouth Acclaim on May 25.
www.mikeoncrime.com james.turner@freepress.mb.ca
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