In many of these cases, when the juvenile suspects are apprehended they're quickly released to their parents, even if they've been arrested and charged with similar crimes before. That appears to be the case for five teens in New York state who are believed to be responsible for at least one smash-and-grab break-in of a gun shop, only to be let loose to re-offend. 

Eva Essi is the owner of Mom's Diner in Syracuse, New York, which has repeatedly been targeted by a group of five teens well known to local law enforcement. In fact, the quintet were a big topic of conversation at a meeting between residents and city officials this week.

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh acknowledged at a packed Westcott neighborhood meeting Tuesday evening that the smash-arrest-release cycle highlights an “accountability problem” in the juvenile justice system. He was joined by Police Chief Joseph Cecile and other top city officials.

While Walsh said changes in recent years to bail rules and raising the age of criminal responsibility to 18 were meant with good intent, their “implementation” is creating issues.

“The system is broken,” the mayor said. “It’s not for lack of trying.”

Police data show a mixed picture so far this year on the city’s East Side. While violent crime is down by about 28% compared to the same period last year, property crime is up by almost the same rate.

Plywood boards covered windows Tuesday at multiple Westcott Street businesses, including Yeti Frozen Yogurt & Cafe, Syracuse Halal Gyro, Rise N Shine Diner and Mom’s Diner.

Essi said police have told her the five boys are the same ones accused of breaking into two local gun stores and trying to get into a downtown cannabis store. They are two 14-year-olds, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old.

“They have a case file probably taller than you,” she joked.

When police arrested the five teens after they allegedly burgled two gun shops just a few weeks ago, four of them were quickly released from custody. One 14-year-old was picked up by his parents, while the 16-and-17-year-olds were arraigned in juvenile court and released with an 8 p.m. curfew. Another 14-year-old suspect was brought to the Hillbrook Juvenile Detention Center, but based on Essi's comments he too appears to no longer be in custody. 

The city's mayor and police chief expressed their exasperation with the revolving door of the juvenile justice system, but say their hands are largely tied by state lawmakers. Meanwhile, the damage continues, and business owners say something has to change. 

Essi said she has made changes at her business, including not leaving cash in the register overnight. She doesn’t want anything valuable in the restaurant when the teens strike, which is typically from 2 to 5 a.m.

“We are just sitting ducks,” she said.

Other business owners also told syracuse.com they were frustrated by the break-ins.

Thomas Ascioti, who runs Yeti Frozen Yogurt & Cafe, said a group of five teens smashed a large window around 2 a.m. Monday.

They used the legs of an outdoor table to break the window, surveillance video shows.

It was not immediately clear whether that group of teens was the same one that has repeatedly hit nearby businesses.

A double-paned window was broken at Rise N Shine Diner around Labor Day, according to manager Dominique Mercuri. She said she wasn’t sure who had done the damage.

Some of the local business owners want to see a larger police presence in the area, but that may not be possible, especially during the overnight hours when police staffing levels are typically lower. The real solution needs to come from Albany, but with the Democratic majority myopically focused on cracking down on lawful gun ownership and the right to keep and bear arms, help is most assuredly not on the way.

In fact, Hochul is doubling down on the juvenile justice "reforms" included in the Raise the Age Act. In this year's budget, Hochul proposed an additional $250 million to keep teens out of adult court, where they are far more likely to face incarceration for their crimes than in the juvenile justice system. In raising the age to be tried as adults, New York Democrats appear to be raising a generation of teens who are completely unaccountable for their violent and destructive actions.