Children become crime targets

Children as young as eight years old have been attacked in the street and robbed of their latest toys and accessories, according to police.

Officers in Strathclyde have revealed that 39 youngsters have been targeted for items including micro-scooters, mobile phones and designer clothing in the past two months.

In most cases, the children were either physically attacked, abused verbally or threatened.

Strathclyde Police highlighted one occasion when a 14-year-old girl was punched and kicked in Greenock and robbed of just £5. An eight-year-old has also fallen victim to a theft.

Safety advice is being offered to children

The disclosure by the force follows research in the West Midlands for the BBC's Panorama programme which revealed a growing trend of crimes against young people

Police in Scotland's largest force area said the current craze for items like micro-scooters and mobiles phones has led to an average of six attacks a week on youngsters, often by other children.

Force crime prevention officer, Danny Dyer, said: " An average of six such crimes per week have been reported to Strathclyde Police since the beginning of September, mostly involving the theft of small amounts of cash, jewellery, clothing and bicycles.

"Whilst in an area the size of Strathclyde this may not seem many and very few have resulted in a child being injured, it still causes great concern."

Positive results

As part of an ongoing Safer Scotland campaign, officers have been visiting schools to offer advice on personal safety.

Chief constable John Orr said the Scotland-wide anti-crime initiative was producing positive results but voiced concern at the number of assaults by youngsters on youngsters.

He said: "Victims of crime, whatever their age, can experience trauma after being robbed. When a child is attacked this way, the effects can be shattering."

The BBC's survey of 3,000 young people in England found that one in four had been robbed and four out of five knew someone who had been robbed.