Boy ordered to rob women

A boy of 15 was kidnapped at knifepoint by a gang of 20 thugs and ordered to rob women in the street.

He was grabbed by the gang outside a McDonald's in Wimbledon on the evening of 27 March and robbed of his mobile phone and cash.

He was then frogmarched through the town centre and forced on to a bus. After changing to a second bus, the gang took him to Clapham. On the bus they made him phone home to tell his mother he was with friends.

After that they pushed him off the bus and put a black drawstring bag over his head. He was marched at knifepoint down the road, with the bag still over his head.

The gang told him to steal from shops and picked out passing women for him to rob.

Three times he refused to rob anyone but the fourth time he approached a woman in Rodenhurst Road, Clapham.

Away from the gang he was able to tell the woman what was happening and together they ran off and escaped and called police.

Ten youths between 12 and 18 have been arrested and released on police bail. Police are appealing for witnesses.