OAKLAND — Two boys, ages 15 and 16, were arrested Thursday afternoon in an attempted robbery of a BART rider in Oakland who was pepper sprayed in a failed effort to steal his backpack, officials said.
Officials said a 61-year-old San Francisco man was on a train approaching the West Oakland Station about 2 p.m. Thursday when the two youths tried to steal his back pack.
During the confrontation the 15-year-old pepper sprayed the man, officials said But the suspects were unable to get his backpack and fled from the train when it stopped at the station.
BART police arrested one of the suspects in the station parking lot and the other a few blocks away from the station. Both are from Oakland.
The intended victim was taken to a hospital to get treatment for skin irritation from the pepper spray, BART spokesman Chris Filippi said.
Both suspects were arrested for attempted robbery of a public transportation passenger, conspiracy to commit a crime and no proof of payment. The 15-year-old suspected of using the pepper spray was also arrested on suspicion of use of a tear gas weapon and being a minor in possession of a tear gas weapon. The other suspect also had an outstanding arrest warrant for trespassing, authorities said. They were booked at Juvenile Hall.