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'This is my safe space, and it wasn't.' Louisvillians worried about rise in youth crime

LMPD has arrested several juveniles during the first week of July. Plus, one neighborhood shares video of a group attempting break-ins throughout the area.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Several juveniles were arrested in Louisville the first week of July with charges ranging from carjackings to arson.

Plus, there is now video of one group walking up to homes in the Apple Valley neighborhood, a subdivision in Louisville, appearing to be armed.

Just past 3:30 a.m. Thursday, several people caught a group on surveillance, who appeared to be teens, walking through people’s front yards and even backyards, seemingly attempting to open homes and car doors.

Home Owners Association President David Steff told WHAS11 the group stole someone's car during the neighborhood walk-through.

Steff and other neighbors there are calling on the city to do more. They said these crimes are just the latest in a pattern they've been seeing for a while. 

Steff said neighbors catch these thefts and attempted thefts on camera one to two times a month.

“People are tired of it,” Steff said. "They’re tired of people coming in here stealing their belongings, going through their personal stuff.”

Steff also said sometimes the suspects steal guns out of the cars in the area. It's something Louisville Metro Police Chief Erika Shields addressed this year; she reminded Louisvillians to keep their doors locked to protect themselves and to keep guns out of young people's hands.

Rachel Mudd caught someone in her driveway Thursday morning as well. She shared the video with WHAS11.

"This is my house. This is my safe zone,” Mudd said. “This is my safe space, and it wasn't.”

Mudd said she and her husband even ran outside, against their better judgment.

"And in the midst of that, my kid comes out, which is very scary,” she recalled.

These are just a few of the recent crimes in Louisville committed by some of the youngest in the city.

Wednesday night, LMPD said four juveniles were arrested near Iroquois Park after finding two AR pistols, a fully automatic Glock and a Ruger, both with extended magazines. Police said they also found a large amount of drugs.

Steff said he thinks Louisville needs to reopen the Juvenile Detention Center; it closed in 2019. A Youth Transitional Center recently opened in its place.

"You can't let these crimes keep going,” he said. “Make them be responsible for the things they do."

As for residents, Mudd and Steff said they must be vigilant.

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