Two juveniles charged with stealing from liquor store, one charged with assaulting worker

BOSTON, October 13, 2026 – Two juveniles were charged last week in Dorchester Juvenile Court for their roles in stealing from a liquor store and assaulting an employee, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

The first juvenile, 15, was charged with armed robbery and will return to court October 14. The second juvenile, 14, was charged with armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and will return to court on November 2. Both juveniles were released on personal recognizance and ordered to stay away from the victim and the store.

At about 11:00 a.m. on October 1, Boston police responded to O’Brien’s Liquor Store at 1911 Dorchester Avenue for a fight. The store owner reported that a group of juveniles entered the store and took four packs of Cutwaters and assaulted him and his wife.  

Video surveillance from the store shows a group of juveniles entering the store. One juvenile, who has not been identified at this time, took four packs of Cutwaters and put them into her backpack and fled. At the same time, the charged 15-year-old is seen walking behind the counter which draws the employee’s attention away from the juvenile taking the items. Video then shows the group running out of the store when one of the employees grabs the charged 14-year-old by her backpack. The 15-year-old is seen forcefully pinning the victim against the wall and a struggle ensues. The 14-year-old strikes the victim in the head with a plastic bag containing two unopened soda cans. The 15-year-old and others in the group try to forcefully reenter the store as the owner is blocking the entrance.

Transit police were present on scene to intervene and detain the juveniles before Boston police arrived. Officers issued a verbal trespass and released them. The owner reported that the group came back two more times that day. Other store employees reported that the group said they will come back to fight the owner. Officers issued arrests warrants for both juveniles.

“It’s troubling to see such alleged behavior from young people like this. We have programs designed to address youthful offenses and we use them whenever appropriate. But one of our top concerns remains the safety of employees and shoppers in our retail areas,” Hayden said.

Hayden’s office, the Boston Police department, regional retailer groups and small business owners in 2024 launched the Safe Shopping Initiative, an effort to increase consumer safety and help store managers strategize responses to shoplifting and retail larcenies. The initiative formed amid increasing national and local frustrations around retail crime, along with concerns over the closure of several pharmacies serving minority communities in Boston.  The Safe Shopping Initiative uses a mixture of diversionary measures, court-mandated conditions such as stay-away orders, and traditional prosecutions to keep shoppers and workers safe in retail settings. 

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

James Borghesani, Chief of Communications