Teens charged with stealing mini bike after neighbor reported strange activity

NILES, Ohio (WKBN) – Two teenagers from Trumbull County are facing charges after police say they stole a mini bike in Niles. How police caught them is an example of one neighbor following the “see something, say something” model.

Two 16-year-old boys, one from Niles and one from Masury, are facing criminal charges, accused of stealing the mini bike from behind a home in the area of Bellair Court.

A concerned citizen, who saw the teens pushing the mini bike down W. Third Street around 4 a.m. Friday, tipped police off to the case.

“It don’t mean they’re doing anything wrong, it’s just a weird time to be pushing a mini bike, if you know what I’m saying,” the caller said.

When police responded to the area, officers say the teens ditched the bike and took off in the woods behind Prospect Street, where both boys were found.

“There is a curfew that they really shouldn’t be out at that hour anyway, but no explanation as to the existence of the mini bike or where it came from,” said Niles Police Captain John Marshall.

The boys were taken to the police department and released to their families.

Officers say this is a classic example of why you should speak up if something seems off.

“Where it could have been, you know, nothing at all, in this case, they did have something that didn’t belong to them and very likely came from somewhere in the immediate neighborhood. So one neighbor paying attention potentially helped another neighbor,” Marshall said.

The mini bike has been returned to its rightful owner.

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