KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hyde Park residents say teens on scooters have been nosing through their property for quite some time.
On Facebook, neighbors started calling them the "Scooter Gang."
The teens are seen on home surveillance videos driving brightly colored scooters wearing hoodies, rifling through cars and garages.
"They're very young. They range from ages 11 to 17," Hyde Park resident Nickolas Wood said.
Wood says he's seen the group hanging around the neighborhood for the past couple years, many times in the middle of the day. He even offered one of them a job to mentor the teen.
"I see them providing services to the neighborhood raking leaves, and if you're not paying attention, they take advantage of that opportunity and steal stuff from you," Wood said.
The group is suspected in several thefts in several neighborhoods.
"I think a lot of people are starting to regret providing these people with services and letting them into their property," Wood said.
One neighbor's nest cam caught the teens driving down the street, stop, and go through his car. They're chased off just seconds later. The neighbor doesn't know if they stole anything.
Police said the teens stole a golf cart from St. Teresa's Academy this week. Police took three kids and one young adult into custody but released them pending further investigation.
KCPD says they cannot take juveniles into custody and let family court handle it.
"It is frustrating, and it all goes back to, where's their parents at?" Wood said.
Police say they've received several reports about the group this week, but learned neighbors have had issues long before.
They're gathering more evidence as they pursue charges, but said these were all crimes of opportunity.
"Lock your stuff up, be more vigilant," Wood said.
KCPD says they need anyone who has had interaction with the teens, spotted them, or who is a victim of a crime to report it.
