Crime du jour: 61st & Peoria teen muggers nabbed

A pair of 16-year-old boys were caught shortly after mugging and stabbing a man in the parking lot of the Sand Dollar Apartments on 61st west of Riverside. An alert security officer at a nearby apartment complex saw the two boys come in their gate and called police. From the Tulsa Police Department daily activity report:

Armed Robbery/Stabbing:

On December 10, 2008 at 10:30 p.m., officers were assigned to 934 E. 61st Street to investigate an Armed Robbery. Upon arrival officers found the victim, Kyle Stange, 20 yoa, who had been robbed and stabbed in the right leg. The victim was in the parking lot of the Sand Dollar Apartments when he was approached by two juvenile males. One of the suspects grabbed the victim as the other suspect stabbed him. The suspects took the victim's wallet and fled. The victim was transported to a local hospital and taken into surgery. At this time his condition is not known.

While officers were at the crime scene they were contacted by security at the Fairmont Terrace Apartments. Security had observed two juvenile males enter through the front gate shortly after the robbery. Officers located one of the suspects outside his apartment. The suspect implicated himself in the robbery. The suspect then gave officers information about the second suspect. Officers located the other juvenile at his residence, which was also at this complex. Both 16 yoa, males were taken into custody for Armed Robbery. One of the juveniles was also arrested for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. During subsequent interviews the suspects admitted to three additional robberies. These robberies occurred on December 3rd, 4th and 7th.

*Note: The information in this report is preliminary information and is subject to change as the investigation continues.

It's amazing to think that 20 years ago, Sand Dollar was one of my stops on the apartment search. It wasn't a bad area then. Mondo's (remember Mondo's?) was just down the street. Taco Mayo, KFC, Sonic and Lot-A-Burger were on Peoria.

MORE: TPD's blog says that the victim, Kyle Stange, is a member of the Oklahoma National Guard, scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in a few months. An updated story on KOTV's website has more information, with photos of the alleged perps:

Police say two teens attacked Stange as he was getting out of his car.

They say Patrick Johnson held Stange from behind, while Ishmael Williams stabbed Stange in the right leg with, what's being described as, a large folder-type knife.

The 16-year-olds, according to police, then took Stange's wallet, eventually throwing it into the bushes.

They were arrested less than a quarter of a mile away at Fairmont Terrace Apartments.

Investigators say Johnson and Williams have been wreaking havoc at the Sand Dollar for the last two weeks. They say they've confessed to three robberies and they're suspects in a fourth.

Police say the teens admitted to robbing two pizza delivery drivers, as well as another man in the Sand Dollar parking lot.

Investigators tell The News On 6 Johnson and Williams would lie in wait for an unsuspecting victim and both admitted using knives for all of the robberies.