Southend High Street: Youth Arrested on Knife Charge Following Child’s Alert
A youth has been arrested in Southend, essex, after a young boy spotted a concealed weapon adn alerted his parents, leading to a swift police response. The incident occurred on Southend high Street, where the child observed the youth lifting his top to reveal what appeared to be the handle of a knife while seated in a fast-food restaurant.
The boy immediately informed his parents, who contacted neighbourhood police officers already patrolling the area. Officers quickly located and arrested the youth, recovering a knife and a small quantity of cannabis. He has been taken into custody.
“We quickly searched and arrested the youth but by the time we went back to the restaurant to thank the family, thay’d left,” said PC Ben Higgs of southend Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT). “We’d love the parents to get in touch with us as their son deserves some official recognition.We might even have some shifts he can cover next weekend as he’s clearly a natural.”
PC Higgs emphasized the seriousness of carrying a knife, stating, “There is absolutely no excuse for carrying a knife and it was a brilliant spot by the boy. It was incredibly mature of him to tell his parents and fortunately we were very close by.”
Essex Police are appealing for the boy’s parents to come forward so their son can be appropriately commended for his vigilance. The force highlighted the importance of public information in their ongoing efforts to combat knife crime. “NPT officers are out on patrol every single day of the year but the information we get from the public is crucial for our work,so if you spot something,please tell us and we will investigate,” PC Higgs added.
