Fears of vigilante attacks have forced police to guard the home of a nine-year-old boy who has ‘petrified’ his neighbourhood.
Police allege the primary school student, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has punched and thrown rocks at locals, ripped tiles from homes, urinated in a garden, smashed windows and even allegedly threatened to kill people in Ellenbrook, a suburb in north-east Perth.
Officers have confirmed the troubled youth can’t be held criminally responsible for his reckless behaviour because he is under the age of 10.
The youngster has also previously been caught on CCTV smashing surveillance cameras with a baseball bat.
The troubled youth has gone on a rampage in Perth, smashing car windows of his neighbours (pictured)
Homeowner Andrew Holmes claimed the child then threatened to come back and kill his pet dogs.
‘People are ready to take law into their own hands because people are petrified of him,’ a fed up resident told Nine News.
‘We’ve gone to police, we’re asking police for help but when he gets returned home sometimes three times a night, he goes back out and does it again.’
Ellenbrook mother Brooke claimed the boy punched her in the face after she told him off for urinating in a neighbour’s garden and ripping up their plants.
‘He also threatened to stomp on my five-year-old son’s head and smash my windows and two days later my window was smashed,’ she told Perth Now.
‘We’ve had security cameras and doors installed, I’m petrified and police say they can’t do anything.
‘I’m speaking out because he needs help – he needs structure and care.’
He has also climbed a series of houses, ripping tiles off the roof, leaving neighbours terrified
The boy (pictured) smashed CCTV surveillance with a baseball bat
Concerns are also growing the boy’s family will become the target of vigilante justice following online outrage about the child’s behaviour.
The WA Police Force said in a statement that they were aware of the matter.
‘[We are] working with his family and a number of different agencies, including the Department of Communities, to develop strategies to manage the child involved,’ a WA Police spokeswoman said.