A South Bay teenager accused of robbing an 11-year-old boy of his bicycle at knifepoint on a school playground in Santa Clara was booked into juvenile hall last week.
Prior to his arrest, Santa Clara police released surveillance video showing the 15-year-old suspect and his friends before the robbery. That led to several tips and the teenager's arrest.
The 11-year-old boy told police that at about 5:30 p.m. on July 7, he was playing at Washington Elementary School at 270 Washington St. when the male suspect approached him, Santa Clara police Lt. Kurt Clarke said.
The suspect then robbed the boy of his bicycle at knifepoint, according to police.
Officers later obtained surveillance video from a nearby 7-Eleven store that contained images of the suspect, released the video to the public Thursday and asked for help in finding him, Clarke said. The community played a key role in the arrest of the juvenile suspect, Clarke said.
Detectives soon received many leads about the suspect's identity and the tips led to the arrest of a 15-year-old boy from San Jose.
The minor was booked into the Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall on suspicion of robbery on Friday, according to Clarke.
The information from the public also assisted police in naming associates of the suspect who were also in the video, police said.
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The stolen bike was recovered and returned to the victim.
