Police: Mom accused as ringleader in thefts

[1969pontiac]

Police accused an out-of-work mom of organizing a crew of youths, including her two sons, to commit more than 20 "street jump" armed robberies last month to help her pay bills.

The woman told police she was merely the getaway driver, though investigators described her Monday as more of a coach who motivated her posse to jump out of her gold Chevy HHR to pistol-whip unassuming teens for their iPods, cellphones and cash.

In one case, a 13-year-old boy was beaten and told to give up whatever he had in his pockets, which turned out to be a single orange lollipop, according to police.
Cynthia Roberson, 51, faces a host of robbery-related charges for her role in the heists, which she also told police was part of a gang-initiation ritual.

Phoenix police Sgt. Phil Roberts, who oversees robbery investigations, said Roberson would "guilt trip" her team into committing robberies to help raise money after she lost her job in telecommunications earlier this spring.

Roberson's 12- and 14-year-old sons were arrested with their mother, along with five other people who ranged in age from 14 to 20, police said.

Glendale police Detective Mark Lankford said Roberson admitted during a nearly four-hour interview that she was desperate financially, though she tried to deflect the blame on her children.

Lankford and other investigators said Roberson, who has no prior criminal record, is under investigation as the ringleader in dozens of random heists from north Phoenix to Glendale.