Warriewood: Teen allegedly robbed of designer hoodie and Asics gel trainers by kids in bushes
Police say they want to pursue the teenagers who allegedly robbed a boy of his designer hoodie and ASICS gel trainers in broad daylight.
Manly
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A mum has written a passionate Facebook post to the northern beaches community after her 13-year-old boy was allegedly robbed of his designer clothes by kids in broad daylight.
In the post, which was widely shared on community pages, she claimed children were regularly being “rolled” – a slang term for robbed – and that it was “like a ghetto out there”.
She called for people to come together as a community to stop these robberies from happening.
The boy’s mother said her son was allegedly set upon by four kids aged 14 to 16 hiding in bushes near the bridge off Garden St, North Narrabeen, at about 12.20pm on Saturday.
Crime Manager Det Chief Insp Michael Boutouridis confirmed a number of police cars were called to the area after an incident was reported and a number of young people were questioned.
However, he told the Manly Daily police were unable to proceed with the investigation because the boy’s mother did not want to press charges.
“We did stop some people on the day and we have some suspects,” he said.
“Without any victims or a victim statement, it’s inadmissable.”
He went on to say police had no “sympathy” for the alleged perpetrators if they were stealing other people’s clothes.
“We will find them, charge them and they will find themselves before the courts,” he said.
Det Chief Insp Boutouridis said police take this type of incident seriously and it’s something police officers can revisit if the victim makes a statement.
The mother of the boy said in the social media post that her son’s white Polo Ralph Lauren white hoodie was stolen, along with his Asics white gel trainers and a black Nike bumbag.
She said the four alleged robbers told her son to hand over the items or he “would be bashed”.
They gave him back his phone and keys from his bag.
She wrote: “Every weekend I hear of teenage boys being rolled for their clothes.
“We need to stop this together.
“It’s like a ghetto out there and I’m so sad our boys are doing this and being subjected to this.”
She added it wasn’t just happening in Warriewood but all over the peninsula.
The mother said when the police arrived about 30 teenagers ran out of the bushes on the corner of Boondah Rd and Jackson Rd.
She wrote that some were handcuffed and searched.
In her post she said: “I beg and implore you to report these ‘rollings’ so our boys can be safe.
“Most boys are not even telling us that they have been rolled as they are scared of repercussions.”
Det Chief Insp Boutouridis said they were not hearing of regular reports of teenagers being robbed and said he would not describe the area as being like a ghetto.