Child firearm crimes shock

Nearly 800 children including a 10-year-old have been arrested for possessing firearms in the West Midlands, new figures today revealed.

Weapons ranging from shotguns to air rifles and pepper spray have been seized from 795 youngsters in the past five years.

Police said today they were working to "take the glamour" out of carrying guns and pointed out the number of arrests had gone down.

The figures, released through the Freedom of Information Act, reveal a 10-year-old has been arrested along with a total of 24, 12-year-olds, 60, 13-year-olds and 101, 14-year-olds.

The most arrests were made in 2007 when 191 youngsters were caught. In 2008 the figure was 132, compared to 185 in 2006 and 187 in 2005.

Dramas include Aldersley High School in Wolverhampton being forced to close after a teenager was shot in the leg nearby. A 15-year-old boy was arrested following the drama in November 2008.

In June last year, a 16-year-old boy from Oldbury was arrested after being spotted by police walking through Langley High Street with a ball bearing gun. Weeks earlier a 15-year-old boy was caught firing an air pistol in Smethwick.

Chief Insp Mark Payne, from West Midlands Police, said today the figures had gone down from 187 arrests in 2005 to 100 in 2009.

"While the reduction in the number of children carrying guns means their chances of safely reaching adulthood are increased, we will not be complacent," he said. "Obviously one youngster carrying a gun is one too many, but we are actively striving to understand the reasons why they do it."