- Title: LEBANON: POLICE ARREST A STREET GANG OF YOUNG CHILDREN ACCUSED OF STEALING
- Date: 19th May 1991
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON (RECENT) 1. GV PAN/SV YOUNG GANG MEMBERS AND OTHER PEOPLE IN PRISON CELL (2 SHOTS) 0.14 2. GV/SCU/SV PAN POLICE OFFICER INTERVIEWING AL-SHEIKHA AND LISTENING TO HER STORY OF THE GANG'S ACTIVITIES (ARABIC) AS BOYS ACCUSED OF STEALING LOOK ON (3 SHOTS) 0.32 3. SV PAN/SCU ZOOM OUT POLICE OFFICER QUESTIONING A MAN ACCUSED OF RECRUITING THE CHILDREN (ARABIC) (2 SHOTS) 0.50 4. CU TILT UP/SV/CU PAN AL-SHEIKA SPEAKS AND POINTS TO BOYS SHE CLAIMS SLEPT WITH HER AS OTHERS LISTEN (3 SHOTS) 1.21 5. GV/ SCU PRISON OFFICER MAJOR CHEITO SPEAKS (ARABIC) AS NOTED (2 SHOTS) 1.37 6. GV PAN CHILDREN PLAYING AMONG RUBBLE OF RUINED CITY 1.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd June 1991 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA651TBP9SV582X1LU4AFM08A5B
- Story Text: BEIRUT, LEBANON
Lebanese police, who recently arrested a street gang of young children accused of stealing, said the children's life of crime was symptomatic of a generation which has grown up in a city torn apart by war.
The gang of 10 children, aged between nine and 13 years, was led by the only girl, a 10 year old known as al-Sheikha who first learnt to steal at the age of six.
During questioning by police, al-Sheikha said she and her young gang had originally been beggars in the streets of Beirut. She said a man had befriended the gang and taught them how to open car doors and steal radio-cassette players. She also told police that she had slept with the other members of the gang.
A man accused of recruiting the children was arrested and questioned by police, and al-Sheikha's father and brother were also arrested on suspicion of being implicated in the gang's activities.
The children were taken to the al-Helou prison in West Beirut, where the officer in charge, Major Cheito, said freeing the children was a problem but so was keeping them in custody. He said Lebanon could not deal with the current level of crime among children.
<strong>Source: REUTERS - MAHMOUD MAHFOUZ</strong> - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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