Gang of kids suspected of Uppsala burglary wave
Children as young as 11 have been apprehended following a series of house burglaries in Uppsala, in eastern Sweden, which led the flabbergasted police to a youth gang using very young members to commit crimes.
“We were truly surprised to find out that it was boys of such a young age involved in these crimes. We’ve never seen offenders this young in these types of offences,” said Conny Kjellberg of the Uppsala Police to the local Upsala Nya Tidning.
The gang, which has been operating in southern Uppsala, has been responsible for at least three robberies during December and January.
The members of the gang include an 11-year-old, two 13-year olds, and one 14-year-old, according to police.
The officers told the paper that suspects of this age are too young to charge, however all four boys have been questioned, together with four other people in connection with the crimes.
The young boys have been operating mainly during the night, and reportedly knocked on the front doors of houses where the lights were off.
In the cases where no-one answered the door, other boys smashed through the back windows of the houses.
After breaking in, the gang allegedly concentrated primarily on stealing electrical appliances, according to the paper.
Prosecutor Liselott Herschend claimed all five boys have either admitted partially or fully to the crimes.
A 25-year-old man has also been arrested on the suspicion of receiving stolen goods.
While police are unable to arrest the boys, social authorities have been called in to help.
The trial against the underaged miscreants is set to begin on Monday.
The Local/og
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“We were truly surprised to find out that it was boys of such a young age involved in these crimes. We’ve never seen offenders this young in these types of offences,” said Conny Kjellberg of the Uppsala Police to the local Upsala Nya Tidning.
The gang, which has been operating in southern Uppsala, has been responsible for at least three robberies during December and January.
The members of the gang include an 11-year-old, two 13-year olds, and one 14-year-old, according to police.
The officers told the paper that suspects of this age are too young to charge, however all four boys have been questioned, together with four other people in connection with the crimes.
The young boys have been operating mainly during the night, and reportedly knocked on the front doors of houses where the lights were off.
In the cases where no-one answered the door, other boys smashed through the back windows of the houses.
After breaking in, the gang allegedly concentrated primarily on stealing electrical appliances, according to the paper.
Prosecutor Liselott Herschend claimed all five boys have either admitted partially or fully to the crimes.
A 25-year-old man has also been arrested on the suspicion of receiving stolen goods.
While police are unable to arrest the boys, social authorities have been called in to help.
The trial against the underaged miscreants is set to begin on Monday.
The Local/og
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