Trick-or-Treater’s Candy Taken at Knifepoint; 2 Teenagers Arrested

Crime lent a ghoulish twist to Halloween in several Southland cities, including the upscale Orange County community of Irvine, authorities said Saturday.

Three children trick-or-treating were confronted at knifepoint by two 14-year-old boys, and one of them was robbed of his candy. The teenagers were later arrested, police said.

The three victims--two 11-year-old boys and a 12-year-old boy--were walking on the grounds of Springbrook Elementary School in Irvine’s Woodbridge neighborhood about 6:45 p.m. when they were confronted by the teenagers.

One of the teenagers produced a knife and said, “Give me your candy,” said Irvine Police Sgt. Brian Clifton.

After one of the boys turned over his candy, the teenagers fled. The three boys ran to a nearby house and had a resident there call police.

A police investigator spotted the teenagers near the location of the robbery and took them into custody. Police also recovered a knife and several vehicle ornaments. The stolen candy was returned.

On Saturday, Woodbridge residents expressed surprise and dismay over the incident, particularly because Halloween is such a popular event in the housing tract where pumpkins, ghosts and other decorations adorn most homes.

“I’m shocked,” said 18-year-old Jeff Lin, who lives across the street from the school where the robbery took place. “This neighborhood is usually totally safe.”

In Monterey Park, a 15-year-old boy was arrested and up to four other suspects remained at large in connection with an attempted home invasion robbery, police said Saturday.

At least two would-be robbers wearing Halloween masks barged into a home on Campanita Court shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Halloween. But the suspects quickly fled when one of the occupants put up a struggle and knocked the mask off one intruder, police said.

When officers were called to the home, they spotted a suspicious vehicle. Four occupants fled, leaving behind the 15-year-old suspect.

In other Halloween night incidents, three people were stabbed at separate parties in Cypress. And in Buena Park, a 25-year-old man was shot several times during an attempted robbery by a group of assailants, one of whom witnesses said was wearing a mask, police said.

No arrests have been made in the Cypress stabbings.