Excellent police work!

I hope the victim sues the parents for pain and suffering.

Who are you to call anybody garbage? I think your spamming is garbage. Have a little more respect for people. You don't call anyone garbage. Especially when you have NO idea who you're talking about.

[Post removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

to uareridiculous: Teenagers who use threats and violence to attempt robbery cannot be the objects of respect. Garbage may be a strong term to use, but the increase of such incidents recently is deplorable, and teenagers must learn that they cannot behave in such a manner and get away with it.

I don't think it is so outrageous to say "sue the parents" even though there are too many lawsuits. It is just expressing the sentiment that many parents need to do a better job keeping track of their kids, instilling values, punishing bad behavior, etc.

1. I don't 'spam.' No one is forcing you to read anything I write.

2. You show your age and moral inclination if you don't think using physical violence to frighten, intimidate and take the property of another is anything less than disgusting. They weren't stealing food, they were stealing an iPod!

I have never willfully and with malice aforethought injured another person either by stealing from them or causing them harm.
Even when I was a teen.
I was brought up to know right from wrong. And to practice that belief system no matter how tough things were. [Portion removed by Palo Alto Online staff.]

3. If more parents were held accountable to some extent for the actions of their kids they would pay more attention. I sure knew where my teens were at all times. It was my responsibility.

YSK, Right On!!! Congratulations and keep it up.

Thank you.

Props to the kid for not giving up his iPod without a fight. He gets to keep the iPod and the would be thieves get nothing but a ride to San Jose. Maybe his parents deserve credit for teaching him to stick up for himself.

Well said YSK! The critics cry until something happens to them of course. Then it's a whole different story.

Interesting that the Almanac reports that the robbers were from Menlo Park, but the Weekly leaves out that detail. Both articles are by the same author and appear to be otherwise identical.
Web Link

Why do we not have regular uniformed police presence at the University Avenue station? I have felt uncomfortable more than once while walking to my car. (Not only that, I have also had my purse snatched within the last 12 months after detraining.)

Palo Alto is not exempt from crime; in fact, it is a jungle. Time to recognize that and respond accordingly. What if it had been me listening to my IPOD? I'm older, and if they had thrown me to the ground I might have been seriously damaged.

I usually take the train from the Menlo station, as it's calmer, smaller, you can see people approaching and there aren't as many thugs around. If PA station stays as is, it's smart to have a police presence there at the busiest times. It would likely take commuters banding together and giung to the cops.

Unfortunately, Palo Alto does not have enough police officers to station them permanently at certain locations. I'm sure they patrol the stations more frequently during rush hour and after dark, but the attack mentioned in this article was in the early afternoon.

Well, it's a question of priorities, isn't it? Any community that can afford 5 libraries could afford to maintain a police presence during all train service hours at at least one of the two local stations in Palo Alto.

There is no doubt these kids are troubled, hopefully, with God's grace, they will mature and develop into productive and honest Americans. It makes me so sad to see kids beginning this thug lifestyle at such a young age.

The pressures to act like a 'hood' in our area is tremendous, and many succumb to it. I was one of the few lucky enough to get out of a unhealthy and ungodly lifestyle before it was too late. Ill never turn back to those days.

My prayers go out to all of these messed up kids who think it is just their turn in line to live the thug life. Do us a favor older teenagers: don't pass the baton.

These kids aren't 'garbage', they are undeveloped, severely troubled, children of God.

Do we know if these kids knew each other? Is this another case of bullying school kids?

Regardless of whether or not they did know each other, I am delighted that the thieves got caught. I hope it gives them a wake-up call and that there is someone at home who can help them turn their lives around rather than high five them for joining the gang!

Im sorry I forgot that everyone on here came from a leave it to beaver type home. When you have every resource you need at your finger tips then of course you cant even fathom the thought of a criminal act. Bottom line is, you people dont know the circumstances that others are dealing with. I'm not condoning stealing but different cultures operate by different rules. When people are struggling they do desperate things. Just because everything is peachy for you and your family doesn't mean the same for the next family. A lot of factors play into it too. It's not always irresponsible parenting. Plus, the way many of you try to put yourself on a pedestal in your comments is just really annoying. Try to be humble, a humble person is hard to find in Palo Alto.

Uh oh 'Tire', take a nap, I just may be feelin' the need to pontificate again! Or maybe, just offer my own perspective, as you certainly were free to do.

Ur said: 'different cultures operate by different rules'. And: 'I don't condone stealing but when people are struggling they do desperate things'.

The first part of your statement is truly alarming. It is one of the reasons for racial and cultural bigotry in this country. No matter your heritage, if you are an American, or living in America then that would be your culture. In our culture we have rules, laws. One of them is, you do not steal. Period.

As to desperate people, if these kids had been stealing food, the tone of these boards would have been entirely different. People would have been trying to help. People here do that, Palo Altans are well known for that.

THEY WERENT AFTER A LIFE SUSTAINING GOOD, THEY WANTED AN iPOD! More, they didn't shoplift it from a store, they were prepared and went on to injure another person for it. That is the separation between troubled kids and garbage.


As to 'leave it to beaver' homes, you are assuming. Big time. You think everyone commenting, including myself, have all had it easy? Have you ever thought that what you call self righteousness and standing on a pedestal may actually be people who do the right thing every day even when it's difficult? That they are tired of sustaining the damage from those that don't? Tired of attitudes, such as yours, that come across as believing some people have a story that may justify their behavior? Such as, Lovelle Mixon? Murderer of four Oakland cops?

He didn't start out a child raping cop killer, he started out with petty small crimes.

There are plenty of 'humble' people in PA, and there are also plenty of people who are tired of criminals, their excuses, and their defenders. I read what you wrote carefully, not one word of sympathy for what the victim went through. A kid who just had an education of fear through violence, and who will from now on be a little bit more fearful, angry, vigilant. All because someone wanted his TOY! Your indignant attitude toward the tone of this board makes me question how humble you may be. I have a suggestion for you. Take in some of these kids, like foster children, better, the runaways that aren't foster kids, as I have; that have committed some of these acts, and get yourself a hands on education. You will learn very quickly about life from a whole different perspective. The good, and the bad, and the inexcusable!

YSK. Beautifully said. You have all my support and all the support of everybody I know and think like you.

Many thanks.

Thank you!!!!! :). I'm not trying to be a boor but am just so sick of what people do to one another!

The 2 kids are clearly troubled and misguided to do what they did, and deserve to be punished for it. But hey, to call a kid "garbage" is to effectively say he's worthless and hopeless. that's harsh. Call me a foolish optimist, but I'd like to think that the kids that committed this crime might someday get their acts together and live good, productive lives -- maybe even give back to society and help other people. let's not completely give up on them quite yet!

As for their parents: Sure, there are bad parents out there who breed bad kids, but does that apply in this case? Based on this short blurb of a story, we know NOTHING about the parents, or if the boys even HAVE parents. If so, what's their story? What lengths might they have gone to already to try and guide these troubled kids properly? Or have they in fact been negligent? Again, we just have no idea. So I don't understand how people can jump to conclusions and assign blame (to the parents) when not a single fact is known. And really, NO parent knows exactly where their 15-year-old kid is and what they are doing "at all times" unless they keep them in a cage. I'm all for parents needing to do everything in their power to teach their kids what's right/wrong, but let's not be so quick to convict them for their children's actions.

I hope the victim is ok, and gets many peaceful hours from his ipod.

the 5 libraries is why we cant get a decent size police department...mountain view has ONE nice library!