Belrose, Glen St: Police called after teen gang attacks trick or treat kids

Police are looking for a gang of teenage thugs who monstered a group of year 7 boys on the northern beaches before assaulting them and stealing part of a Halloween costume.

Angry parents called police after a group of Halloween trick or treating kids were punched, shoved and robbed by a gang of teenage thugs on the northern beaches.

Five boys, aged 12 and 13, were also threatened with more violence if they didn’t “empty their pockets” during the terrifying ordeal on Sunday evening at Belrose.

They were set upon by two girls and a male youth — all aged about 16 or 17.

One of the boys — who are all in year 7 at high school — suffered bruising when he was punched several times.

A group of five boys, aged 12 and 13, were set upon by teenagers aged about 17 on Halloween night. Picture: istock

Another boy had his Halloween costume Samurai sword stolen by one of the female teens. A third boy was thrown up against the outside wall of the Glen Street Theatre by the youth.

The attack came as residents of Belrose and Frenchs Forest reported several unsavoury incidents.

One householder had specially prepared Halloween decorations stolen from their front garden by teens while others complained of their homes been targeted by egg throwing attacks.

The mother of one of the boys who was assaulted told the Manly Daily on Monday that she was sickened by the violence against a group of young children, trying to enjoy Halloween.

The boys were attacked near the stage door at the Glen Street Theatre at Belrose. Picture: Supplied

She said her son, 12, and his mates were walking to Lionel Watts Reserve after visiting the Glenrose Shopping Village to buy some Mars bars, when they were approached by a teenage girl, who had been sitting with a larger group of youths at a bus stop on Glen Street at about 7.15pm

“The girl crossed the road and demanded that one of the boys hand over his pretend Samurai sword he was carrying as part of his Halloween costume,” the mother, who asked not to named to help protect the identity of her son, said.

“The boy said ‘no’ and started to run away and then all the boys were jumped by her, another girl and an older boy.

“This all happened near the stage door of the theatre There were lots of other people around.”

The mother said her son was punched hard to the upper arm and shoved to the ground.

“Then he was told to empty his pockets.

”One of the boys was thrown up against a brick wall and a third boy had the sword stolen from him.

“You hear about these things on the news, but you don’t expect to have it happen to your child at quarter past seven on Halloween night near your own home. It wasn’t even dark.”

The five boys had been buying chocolate at Glenrose Village Shopping Centre before they were assaulted. Picture: Adam Ward

After the gang grabbed the sword and walked off, the boys ran to a friend’s home nearby.

“My son was a mess. he was absolutely shaken,” the mother said.

She called police who sent a patrol car to the area to look for the group carrying the sword.

The boy was expected to give a formal statement to police on Monday afternoon.

“We want him to make a statement because if nobody reports these young people they think they can get away with things like this until someone gets seriously hurt,” the mother said.

Northern Beaches Police said they had received numerous calls related to Halloween incidents on Sunday night.