ESCALATING CRIME

Delinquents are on a roll

The rise in gang activity seen last semester continues through this year, with many assaults and home invasions involving minors

LUIS GONZALEZ GONZALEZ

PANAMA. Delinquents continue hitting businesses and homes hard, and are now even shamelessly confronting units of the National Police with gunshots.

In the last couple of days, different armed assaults support the thesis of a total explosion in gang activity from the end of last year through the beginning of 2009. Similarly, the latest cases show the implication of minors, who seem to have lost any respect for or fear of the law.

On Wednesday afternoon, in the Los Andes 2 shopping mall, a group of assailants broke into the premises of Elektra Noreste to steal from employees and customers alike.

An alarm was activated and police officers were quick to arrive , disturbing the assailants’ plans. At least 13 suspects, among them three minors, were detained.

Earlier in the day, another gang, made up of four minors and an adult, exchanged shots with members of the Municipal police. They had stolen close to $2,000 from a tourist, after hitting her on the head with their guns. The incident took place in the Mar Paraiso Hotel in Justo Arosemena Ave, where a woman working in reception and the driver of a minibus were also assaulted. They were robbed of money, cell phones and watches.

In the subsequent police chase, near the Santo Tomas Hospital, one of the assailants was captured with the $2,000. The other three escaped in a car towards Cabo Verde, Curundu, but crashed the car near the Novey store, in Calidonia and were detained by the police. One of them escaped.

At the same time, in Alcalde Diaz, a family was gagged and beaten in their home by members of the “Mataperros” gang, who demanded money but had to make do with jewelry and similar objects of value.

According to police reports, no one has been detained yet.

In El Hueco, Pan de Azucar, San Miguelito, another gang confronted police officers, allegedly with AK-47s and shotguns, which they later hid near a school. One was hurt by police officers, while the others are still being sought by the authorities.

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