Five juveniles arrested as suspects in Anchorage crime spree

ANCHORAGE (AP) -- Five people, including two teen-agers, were in custody Friday after being arrested for robbing a 13-year-old girl and driving a stolen pickup truck in Anchorage Thursday.

The girl told police she was walking with a friend outside a store at an East Anchorage mall when a young woman hit her in the face and demanded her purse. Police said three others approached during the strong-arm robbery and then the four jumped into a green truck driven by a fifth person.

Officers caught up with the truck 20 minutes later, police said.

Arrested were Jeannine Robinson, 20, who is accused of hiiting the 13-year-old; Michael Apudala, 20; and Francisco Calvo, 20.

A 15-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy also were arrested.

Police said the five might have been on a crime spree. A few purses were seen inside the stolen pickup, and earlier Thursday a gas station reported that a green pickup drove off without paying, police said.

Police said they also planned to ask the five about a series of burglaries of downtown businesses Wednesday night.