Washington, D.C. police caught two teenage crooks who are suspected of breaking into a Secret Service vehicle last year.
Secret Service vehicle robbed in broad daylight
Authorities apprehended two teenagers linked to the burglary of a parked Secret Service vehicle that was used to protect President Joe Biden’s granddaughter, Naomi Biden, in November 2023.
After a months-long investigation, Robert Kemp, 19, of Northwest Washington, D.C., and a 14-year-old minor whose identity remains undisclosed, were taken into custody.
The incident happened on November 12, 2023, outside a Georgetown residence where two Secret Service agents spotted suspicious activity.
The agents noted the suspects’ car stopping near the Secret Service vehicle, observing a broken window that had a person’s leg hanging out of it.
When they identified themselves as police officers, the suspects immediately took off in another vehicle.
As they fled, one of the Secret Service agents discharged a firearm at the speeding car, which had almost hit the other agent. Fortunately, no one was injured by the gunfire.
Items reportedly stolen from the Secret Service vehicle included a protective vest, night-vision goggles, a first aid bag, and a computer router.
Teenagers who robbed Secret Service vehicle arrested
The police were able to trace the suspects months later, after locating the vehicle and lifting fingerprints from objects left inside, including a McDonald’s with Kemp’s prints.
Kemp was arrested on February 7 and faces charges related to the theft and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
After being released, he is scheduled for a court appearance on February 29, with the possibility of additional charges pending.
His underage accomplice was detained last Friday, following a series of armed robberies against ride-share drivers this year, then linked to the incident involving the Secret Service.
In addition to his prints, his presence at the scene was corroborated by electronic monitoring records from a device similar to an Apple AirTag, which placed him in the vicinity at the time of the crime.
The Metropolitan Police Department has noted a dramatic rise in vehicle thefts. There were 4,729 reported incidents in the city, marking a 113% escalation from the previous year.
The data also shows that juvenile violent crime arrests have surged, with figures rising from 326 in 2022 to 363 for the first half of 2023 alone.
In a different incident, a 16-year-old was taken into custody accused of a string of 10 armed carjackings and robberies over a few hours.
The MPD’s Carjacking Task Force reported his arrest, alongside charges that span unauthorized firearm and ammunition possession, and kidnapping.
Authorities recovered four guns when the teenager was taken into custody.
