HOW times change. Once you could be hanged for stealing a loaf of bread, now some pre-pubescent piece of pond life is allowed to rob and injure two decent respectable old women in daylight ('No respect', September 11).

Why wasn't this little thug in school at 9.20am on a Friday morning? Where were the police patrols we pay so much council tax for?

And why, when she is caught, will the bleeding hearts brigade wail about her lack of privileges and her human rights?

We all know it will be thrown out of court because of the lout's age, when what she really needs is a spell on a juvenile offenders scheme.

People will inevitably blame the parents, but teachers should take some of the blame.

I live next to a large secondary school and I've lost count of the number of times I have rang the school to report anti-social behaviour by gangs of yobs (sorry, pupils) - and do they send anyone to check on the nuisance?

What do you think?

Ella Hirst,

Coggan Close,

South Bank, York.

Updated: 10:07 Thursday, September 16, 2004