Teens arrested for allegedly attacking two women at Baltimore community garden

by Ashley Paul

Two teenagers were arrested for allegedly punching an elderly woman and stealing another woman's car on Saturday, May 3, at a Northwest Baltimore community garden.

Then, on Monday, a gardener at Dewees Community Garden was waiting for police after he said two teens tried to rob him at knifepoint.

The gardener, who didn't want to be on camera, told WJZ he was working on his garden plot when two teens approached him with a knife and demanded money. He said he scared the teens off with a gardening tool.

Baltimore police said a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old boy were arrested in Saturday's robbery. It's unclear whether they are connected to Monday's robbery.

Teens stole the gardener's sense of peace

A 64-year-old woman, who didn't want to be on camera, said she was working on her garden plot at around 2:30 p.m. on Saturday when she noticed a commotion a few plots over.

She said she saw two young boys punch an 82-year-old gardener in a robbery attempt before they came her way and stole her keys and her car.

"Finally, he caught up to me and he grabbed my phone from me," the woman said. "And I was like, 'OK, hopefully that's all they want, go away.' And then he started screaming, 'Where are your keys?' And I said, 'They're up in the green bucket."

The woman said the teenagers stole her sense of peace in the community garden.

"I've gotten to know the other gardeners and they're sweethearts and they've become sort of part of my family," the woman said. "At the end of the year, we always say, 'See ya next year.' And they will say, 'God-willing,' and then the next year comes and you're like, 'Oh, you're back, I'm so glad.'"

Hope for a safer community garden

The woman told WJZ she won't be going back to the community garden until the area is safer, whether that's more security, better locks, or a buddy system that ensures no one is gardening alone.

She also says the teenagers need to be held accountable. 

"They need to be disciplined, and it was just really hard because I'm looking and they're just not stopping," the woman said. "I'm an adult, and they have power over me, and I think that was the hardest thing."

Full Article & Source:
Teens arrested for allegedly attacking two women at Baltimore community garden