Police have arrested and seized the passports of 10 French teens suspected of breaking into cars on overnight sprees in New Jersey, authorities say.
Secaucus police began investigating after a dozen cars were burglarized in the area of Second Street in the early morning hours Saturday. Surveillance footage showed a group of teens appearing to break into the cars.
The next night, a Secaucus police officer patrolling the same area spotted a large group of teens walking between cars with flashlights, police said. They appeared to be the same teens in the surveillance video, and they were all taken into custody.
Nine boys and girls, ranging in age from 13 through 17, were arrested on scene, and a 15-year-old girl was later arrested at the Red Roof Inn, police said.
The teens were all staying at the hotel in Secaucus with adult supervisors as part of a summer camp retreat.
Police recovered some of the items that were stolen in the burglaries. All the cars that were targeted had unlocked cars, police said.
Each of the 10 teens has been charged with 12 ounts of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, Secaucus police said. Three of them were additionally charged with with theft and another with receiving stolen property.
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All of the teens were released to their camp guardians but their passports have been seized pending a court appearance Monday.
