Police say an “extremely concerning” 72 percent of robbery offenders are aged 18 or under.
Six teens have been arrested in overnight raids as a part of a crackdown on railway robberies.
They were arrested after being linked to multiple counts of robbery, attempted robbery and theft on the London transport network over the last 12 months.
The teens, aged between 15 and 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were arrested as part of Operation Flycatcher which saw raids by 60 officers at four addresses in East London at 3am on Wednesday, August 23.
All six suspects have been bailed until October.
A further two teenagers linked to the Operation were arrested later that morning for several counts of robbery, attempted robbery and theft.
Police say an “extremely concerning” 72 percent of robbery offenders were aged 18 or under between April 2024 and March 2025.
Many of the offenders have committed multiple robberies within the same year.
As part of a further four day crackdown, 13 teenagers were arrested on suspicion of robbery, attempted robbery, theft and possession of an offensive weapon.
Chief Inspector Nick Brandon said: “The public’s safety is our number one priority, and we work tirelessly throughout the year and around the clock to keep the travelling public safe.
“The ages of the offenders is extremely concerning, and we hope that seeing other kids face the consequences of their actions will turn some would-be robbers away from a life of criminality.
“We have one offender who, in the last policing year, is linked to 19 separate robbery offences. This is why we encourage every victim of robbery, or those who have seen a robbery take place, to report it to us.
“Every report we receive can help to direct our patrols to where they are most needed to keep the public safe, so if you need us talk to a member of staff or an officer, or text us on 61016.
“Our message is clear; if you commit a robbery on the railway network and seek to profit at the detriment of others, we will do everything in our power to secure justice for the victims.”
