Teen girls’ violent crime rise worries

A dramatic rise in violent crime committed by young women over the past two months has Wanganui police and social workers concerned.

Senior Sergeant Dave Kirby said of the eight people locked up in Wanganui police cells over the past week, seven were teenage girls.

Two teen girls wearing balaclavas and scarves over their faces allegedly held a dairy owner at knife-point and stole cash and cigarettes on July 22.

A 13-year-old and a 16-year-old were charged over the incident.

Four teenage girls allegedly attacked two girls in Queens Park beside the Wanganui Public Library on August 18, stealing their cell phones and other items.

Two girls, aged 14 and 15, appeared in Youth Court this week in relation to the incident.

Mr Kirby told the Wanganui Chronicle it was sad to see such behaviour by young girls.

Yes2Youth senior social worker Dot Greenfield said all of the violent young female offenders brought to the agency's attention in the past two weeks had addiction problems, from drinking alcohol to sniffing petrol and smoking P.

Many also had relationship or family problems, she told the paper.

- NZPA