14-Year-Old Charged in Robbery of Arleta Store

A 14-year-old Arleta boy was arraigned Friday on charges of robbery and assault with a deadly weapon in the holdup of an Arleta fast-food store in which a .22-caliber revolver was used, police said.

The boy, a student at Sepulveda Junior High School whose name was not released because of his age, told police he held up the Super Fast Food Store because he needed a bicycle and a radio, said Los Angeles Police Detective Mike Sullivan.

“I figured the best way to do it was with a gun,” police said the boy told them.

The youth was arrested Wednesday morning, shortly after the store’s owner wrested the gun out of his hand and chased him several blocks, firing several shots, Sullivan said.

Held in Juvenile Hall

The boy is being held in Sylmar Juvenile Hall until a July 8 trial, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Jerry Bowes.

Bowes said the boy walked into the convenience store at 9716 1/2 Woodman Ave. at about 8:30 a.m. and browsed in the magazine and toy departments for several minutes.

The store’s owner, Jaswant Dhillon, told police he turned away for a few seconds and, when he looked back, the boy was wearing a dark stocking over his face and a brown ski cap over his head and holding a .22-caliber revolver in his right hand, Bowes said.

He said the boy demanded money, and Dhillon gave him three $10 bills from the cash register. Dhillon then pried the gun from the boy’s hand, Bowes said.

The boy ran out the door and Dhillon followed, firing three warning shots into the air, Bowes said.

Threw Rock

When the boy picked up a rock from a flower bed, Dhillon returned to his store and called police, they said. The boy followed Dhillon back to the store and threw the rock through the store’s open front door, hitting Dhillon on the left shoulder, Bowes said. Dhillon was not seriously hurt, Bowes said.

Police found the boy hiding in the 9600 block of Woodman Avene, where they recovered the stocking, ski cap and money, Bowes said.

Sullivan said the boy has four previous arrests, dating back to the age of 12 for automobile theft, drug possession and burglary.

It is not known where he got the gun, Sullivan said.