An 11-year-old boy has been arrested, believed to be the youngest suspect detained in the country so far, in a continuing crackdown on those suspected of taking part in the UK riots earlier this month.
Cleveland Police said on Wednesday they had arrested an 11-year-old boy for causing a disturbance in the North Yorkshire town of Middlesbrough on August 4, following the stabbing deaths of three girls at a dance party in Southport.
The boy was one of 15 people arrested Wednesday on suspicion of disorderly conduct in connection with disturbances in the town.
According to According to the BBC, 40 detectives sifted through body camera data, CCTV footage and social media to identify the suspect, which led to the arrest.
“Officers set out this morning to target individuals believed to be involved in the disturbance,” police said in a statement. “Those arrested ranged in age from 11 to 43 years old.”
Those arrested ranged in age from 11 to 43 years old.
We will provide more details about today's activities tomorrow.
— Cleveland Police (@ClevelandPolice) August 28, 2024
Cleveland police have so far made a total of 110 arrests in connection with the riots. Over 1,000 people have been arrested across the country, with over 520 people charged with related offences by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Commenting on Wednesday's attack, Detective Inspector Sarah Robinson, who led the Cleveland Police investigation, said: said “The message is: 'You didn't get away with it,'” he said, according to Sky News.
“We will identify you, we will arrest you, you will be arrested and produced before the court.”
“Behind every crime there is a victim and some of the stories we heard were truly tragic.”
