Boys as young as 11 and 12 questioned about terror of bus robbery as police seize knives

Three boys aged just 11 and 12 have been arrested in connection with a robbery investigation after a schoolboy was threatened and attacked on a bus. Police seized two knives after detaining two 12-year-olds and an 11-year-old.

The father of the 13-year-old victim said his son was hit in the face on the X4 service as he traveled from Sutton Coldfield to Erdington and was attacked again when he got off at a stop in Wylde Green. It happened after the teenager boarded the bus at around 3.20pm on Thursday 16 May.

The father said: “The chatter started on the bus and they were slapping him in the face. They said: ‘Give us your phone’, give us your wallet. We have knives.”

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“My son got off the bus on Birmingham Road opposite Emmanuel Church in Wylde Green and Little Green Lanes. As he did this, the boys followed him saying they had knives and were trying to get his phone off him. They were attacking him. His friend managed to escape.

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“He has a black eye, a suspected broken rib and his face is scarred. A guy about 45-50 years old who was with his son in a van and stopped and got out. At that point the three boys continued into Erdington.

“The police did a fantastic job yesterday. The way they applied with my son was fantastic.”

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A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “Three boys have been arrested following an armed robbery on a bus in Sutton Coldfield. At around 6pm yesterday, three boys were arrested following a robbery on a bus in Sutton Coldfield.

“Officers quickly located the three boys – two aged 12 and one aged 11 – where they were arrested. The boys were arrested on suspicion of robbery and criminal damage, while two were also arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife after two knives were found and seized.

“The boys have since been released on bail while the investigation continues, but officers are working hard to take guns off our streets and will be increasing patrols in the area.”