Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with two knife-point robberies in Norwich which happened within just a few hours of each other.
Four police officers, all carrying tasers, were mobilised following reports of a 15-year-old being robbed at knife-point by a 14-year-old boy in New Botolph Street, near to Anglia Square.
The victim was robbed at about 6.45pm on Saturday but Acting Sergeant Dan Taylor from the Norwich East Safer Neighbourhood Team, who tweeted about the incident, said a teenager, matching the description of the suspect, was found in the area by officers with a knife on him.
He was arrested in connection with the incident.
Then at about 10.30pm, less than four hours after the first incident, two teenagers, aged 15 and 16, were arrested in the Mousehold area following another robbery involving a knife near to Zaks on Gurney Road.
The two teens were taken in for questioning following their arrest and it was understood they were still in custody yesterday afternoon.
It is not thought the robberies are being linked at this stage, but two robberies involving knives have sparked concern, particularly given the ages of those involved, from people living in the area.
Stuart McLaren, secretary of the St Augustine's Community Together Residents Association, said: 'It's obviously very shocking.'
He said teenagers with knives was a 'nationwide problem' but admitted 'it does bring it home when it's in your neighbourhood'.
Clive Lewis, Norwich South MP, said: 'It's disturbing.
'If we're seeing an increase in the number of young people in our city being involved in serious crime like this then we all need to sit up and ask ourselves why is this happening and how do we stop it.'
Figures published earlier this year revealed knife crime in Norfolk has shot up since 2013.
Norfolk Constabulary recorded 269 crimes in which knives were used between October 2016 and September 2017, an increase of 186pc on the same period in 2012-13.
While in the past 12 months, to April this year, 350 arrests were made, and knives are routinely seized by officers.
Anyone with any information about either incident should call police on 101.
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