Three teenagers were taken into custody after brandishing a knife and stealing two electric bikes in Santa Barbara, where a tracking device helped police locate one vehicle and suspect.

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday, emergency dispatchers received a 9-1-1 call regarding an armed robbery involving subjects with a knife, Santa Barbara Police Lt. Antonio Montojo said.

Officers located two 15-year-old victims who said they were riding their e-bikes at the top level of the City Lot 10 parking structure when a group of six to eight juveniles brandished a knife and stole the bicycles.

“Several officers saturated the downtown corridor and located one of the stolen e-bikes being ridden by two juvenile subjects,” Montojo said. “Those two subjects attempted to evade officers by running on foot, and while doing so, knocked down an elderly male civilian onto the ground.”

The man sustained a minor abrasion and was treated by medics on scene.  

Officers successfully detained the two teens and located a knife on one of them. 

“As the incident was unfolding, officers were getting real-time information from a victim regarding the whereabouts of the second stolen e-bike, which had an air tag attached to the bicycle,” Montojo said.    

Officers canvassed another location and recovered the second e-bike, which had been abandoned.  

“In the immediate area, officers located a third subject who matched the suspect description. It was determined that the third subject was also involved in the robbery and was subsequently arrested,” Montojo added.

All three 15-year-olds were transported and booked in to Santa Barbara County Juvenile Hall for robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime and elder abuse.

Their names were not released because they are minors.