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WEBVTT ADAM: TONIGHT 11 NEWS'S ANDREHEPKINS REPORTS ON WHAT'SPUSHING MORE YOUNG TEENS TOSTEAL CARS AND HOW POLICE ARECHANGING THE WAY THEY FIGHTBACK>> RIKKI SPECTOR WENT TO PULLHER CAR OUT OF THIS GATED GARAGEIN THIS EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY WHENSHE FELT THE FORCE OF ANOTHERPULL>> KEYPUNCH ME IN THE EY ANDTHEN THREW ME AGAINST THECONCRETE.>> ON DECEMBER 2ND, IN THE LASTDAYS OF HER BALTIMORE CITYCOUNCIL TENURE, SHE ENCOUNTEREDKIDS WHO ARE NOW ACCUSEDCRIMINALHER 15-YEAR-OLD AND 13-YEAR-OLDATTACKERS NOW HAVE PENDING CASESAT THE JUVENILE JUSTICE CENTERSPECTOR DECIDED TO BE ANANTI-VIOLENCE VEHICLTHE 80-YEAR-OLD IS TRYING TOHELP THOSE ACCUSED OF HURTINGHER BY GOING TO EACH HEARING.ON FEBRUARY 3RD, SHE FACED THE15-YEAR-OLD WHO PLEADED GUILTYTO CARJACKIN>> HE APOLOGIZED.I COULD SEE GENUINE REGRET.>> HER CASE UNDERSCORES THE RISEIN CARJACKING IN BALTIMORE CITY.IN 2014, DETECTIVES INVESTIGATED150 CARJACKINGS.IN 2015, THAT NUMBER JUMPED UPTO 284.THAT IS AN 82% INCREASE.IN 2016, THAT NUMBER MOVED UP TO404.MAJOR KIMBERLY BURRUS IS THECOMMANDING OFFICER OF THEDISTRICT DETECTIVE SECTION>> IT IS BEI DRIVEN BY GROUPSOF JUVENILES.>> SHE SAY OLDER ADULTS ARESTEERING THE JUVENILES.>> YOU HAVE BEEN STEERING THECARJACKINGS THE VEHICLES CAN BEUSED IN OTHER CRIMES.>> THE STREET SPEAKS PRETTYLOUD.I WANT US TO BE A VOICE LOUDERTHAN THE STREET.>> MICHELLE SUAZO IS U-EMPOWEROF MARYLAND'S VICE PRESIDENT.SHE WORKS WITH MANY OF THE YOUNGMEN WHO COME FROM STREETS WHEREMONEY IS SCARCE.MANY ADULTS ARE UNEMPLOYED ORUNDEREMPLOYED.THEY LIVE IN POVERTY.THEIR CHILDREN DON'T HAVE ACCESSTO PROGRAMS.NO MONEY PLUS NO MISSION EQUALSSOCIETY')S MENAC>> UM I, I JUST HAVE TO SAY THATI LOVE THESE KIDS AND I KNOWTHAT HE'S A GOOD BOY.>> SUAZO ALSO WENT TO THEFIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD'S CARJACKINGHEARINBOTH SHE AND THE VICTIM, RIKKISPECTOR, BELIEVE A GOOD BOY WILLBECOME A GREAT MAN BY USING THISAWFUL EXPERIENCE AS AN AVENUE EXCELLENCE>> I BELIEVE HE HAS THEPOTENTIAL TO BE A LEADER.>> I HOPE THIS WILL BE ALIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE FOR HIM

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The numbers of carjacking are up and often the suspects are just kids, police said. What's pushing more young teens to steal cars and how are police changing the way they fight back? Rikki Spector went to pull her car out of a gated garage in an exclusive community when she felt the force of another pull. He punched me in the eye and then threw me against a concrete pillar. On Dec. 2, in the last days of her Baltimore City Council tenure, Spector encountered kids, who are now accused criminals. Her 13- and 15-year-old attackers now have pending cases at the Juvenile Justice Center. Spector decided to be an anti-violence vehicle. The 80-year-old is trying to help those accused of hurting her by going to each hearing. On Feb. 3 she faced the 15-year-old, who pleaded guilty to carjacking. "He apologized and I could see really genuine regret," Spector said. Her carjacking case underscores the dramatic rise in carjackings in Baltimore City in the past few years. In 2014, robbery detectives investigated 156 carjackings. In 2015, that number jumped up to 284, an 82 percent increase. In 2016, the number moved all the way up to 404, a 42 percent increase on the year before. "(In) 2017, we're starting to see a small increase again," Maj. Kimberly Burrus said. Burrus is the commanding officer of the District Detective Section. "It's being driven by groups of juveniles," Burrus said. Burrus said repeat juvenile offenders or older criminals are steering kids toward carjackings. "You have adults who use the juveniles to do the carjackings so that the vehicles can be used in other violent crimes," Burrus said. The Baltimore Police Department is centralizing its robbery detectives to combat violent crimes. "By all of them being centralized. They're better focused on the robberies. They can put the patterns together better," Burrus said. The carjackers are going across districts, police said. "The street speaks very loud. I want us to be a voice louder than the street," said Michelle Suazo, vice president of Empower of Maryland. Suazo works with many of the young men, who come from streets, where money is scarce. Many adults are unemployed or underemployed. They live in poverty. Their children don't have access to programs. No money plus no mission equals: society's menace. "I just have to say that I love these kids and I know that he's a good boy," Suazo said. Suazo also went to the 15-year-old's carjacking hearing. Both she and Spector believe a good boy will become a great man by using this awful experience as an avenue to excellence. "I truthfully believe he has the potential to be a leader," Suazo said. "I'm hoping that this will be a life-changing experience for him and he becomes a good person," Spector said.