- 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 (ARAB
- 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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