Trick-or-Treaters Robbed at Knifepoint

IRVINE — Three boys trick-or-treating in a Woodbridge neighborhood were robbed of their Halloween candy at knifepoint by two 14-year-old boys who were later arrested, police said Saturday.

The three boys--two 11-year-olds and a 12-year-old--were walking on the grounds of Springbrook Elementary School about 6:45 p.m. when they were confronted by the teens. One of the teenagers produced a knife and said, “Give me your candy,” said Irvine Police Sgt. Brian Clifton.

After one of the boys turned over his candy, the teenagers fled. The three boys ran to a nearby house and had a resident there call police, who arrested the teens they also believe tried to rob another trick-or-treater and had stolen several hood ornaments from neighborhood cars.

On Saturday, residents in the Woodbridge neighborhood expressed surprise and dismay about the incident, particularly since Halloween is such a popular event in the housing tract where pumpkins, ghosts and other decorations adorn most homes.

“I’m shocked,” said 18-year-old Jeff Lin, who lives across the street from the school where the robbery took place. “This neighborhood is usually totally safe. It’s a family community where you might have pranks like toilet papering someone’s house but nothing like this.”

Jerry Mazur, who had hosted a haunted house Friday night, said the neighborhood draws a lot of people from outside the area on Halloween.

“It brings a lot of people in,” said Mazur, who has lived near the school for 11 years. “This neighborhood really goes all out. . . . Unfortunately, some get carried away.”

Before being arrested, the teenagers tried to steal a hood ornament in a south Woodbridge neighborhood but were scared off, possibly by the owner, police said.

The pair then made their way to the area of Firestone and Blue Lake South, police said, where they attempted to steal a pillow case filled with candy from another trick-or-treater. They were unsuccessful in this attempt and a knife was not used, police said.

A police investigator spotted the teens near the location of the attempted robbery and took them into custody. Police also recovered a knife and several vehicle ornaments that are believed to be stolen, police said. The stolen candy was returned.

The teen who carried the knife was booked into Orange County Juvenile Hall while the other teenager was released to his parents, police said. Their names were not released because of their age.

It was tame through much of Orange County on Friday, but there were other Halloween night incidents.

Three people were stabbed at separate parties in Cypress and in Buena Park, a 25-year-old man was shot several times during an attempted robbery by a group of assailants, one of whom witnesses said was wearing a mask, police said.

No arrests have been made in the Cypress stabbings, which occurred at two separate parties within an hour of each other.

Cypress police are still investigating the incidents and were not releasing many details on Saturday, including the circumstances of the crimes or the names of the victims. None of the injuries is life-threatening, police said.

The first incident took place about 10:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of Mildred Circle. Police found a man who had been stabbed in the upper torso and a woman with a head injury. Both were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said.

Shortly before midnight, police were called to the 5200 block of Yorkshire Drive for what they described as “a large disturbance.”

They found a man down the street who had been stabbed in the upper torso. He was taken to the hospital. A second man also had a stab wound and was taken to a hospital by friends before police arrived.

In the Buena Park shooting, Ruben Posadas was found about 9 p.m. on his apartment balcony in the 7000 block of El Dorado Drive. He had suffered gunshot wounds to the groin and the back.

“Several witnesses in the area saw three or four subjects running,” said Sgt. Lloyd Schweingel. “One witness said one of the suspects had some type of mask.”

Police detained several people and eventually made two arrests, including the arrest of a man believed to have been the gunman. His name was not released.

“It appears to have been a botched robbery attempt,” the sergeant said.

Posadas, who may have been paralyzed, is in serious condition at UCI Medical Center in Orange, Schweingel said.