A joint investigation between the Bowie and Prince George's County police departments into a rash of recent burglaries resulted in the apprehension of the youngest suspect ever to be arrested in the county. A three year-old boy was detained by police on Thursday after detectives working a stakeout in Bowie's Whitehall section observed the preschooler exiting a house through a "doggy door" with stolen goods.
"When the detectives brought this kid back to the station, I was like, you've got to be kidding!" said recently appointed Bowie Police Chief John Nesky. "I thought these guys were pulling a prank, but after viewing the surveillance video, I realized that this was no joke. Law enforcement has seen a trend in recent years where younger and younger people are being arrested for burglaries and even armed robberies, but this one goes beyond the beyonds."
Once the suspect was in custody, it didn't take investigators long to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The boy would sneak out of his house each afternoon after his elderly babysitter fell asleep during nap time. "I play
Swiper the Fox," the boy told detectives - an apparent reference to a sneaky thief on the Nickelodeon cable television show
Dora the Explorer. Police recovered jewelry, watches and a large stash of candy in the boy's bedroom closet.
According to a spokesperson for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's office, the boy has been released to the custody of his parents, and no charges will be filed. "Police officers had a talk with the boy," the official said, "and they gave him a stern message: no swiping."
