A five-strong burglary gang who staged a midnight raid on a central Napier hair salon were aged between 11 and 15.
The 11-year-old was a boy described by Napier Police Youth Services Sergeant Allan Potter as "known to police".
"It is not the first time we have come across him," Mr Potter said, adding that the youngster had been reported missing after running away from home.
The others involved last Thursday were a boy aged 14, and girls aged 12, 14 and 15.
"Yes, you do have to wonder what they are doing out at that time of the night," Mr Potter said.
The group targeted Raymond Gempton's seven-month-old business, RM on the Lane, just off Emerson St, and it left him furious. Apart from smashing a glass door with a chunk of concrete, and taking hundreds of dollars worth of hair products, the shop's new flooring was damaged and scratched.
"They just smashed their way in and helped themselves," he said yesterday after reopening. "My thinking is there are no consequences for the young ones who do things like this."
Mr Gempton was sorting getting the damage repaired, dealing with insurance issues and having to carry out a complete stock-take to determine exactly how much property was taken: "I don't know what they were going to do with it."
Two of the group acted as look-outs at either end of the lane, which runs between Emerson and Dickens streets, while the others broke in, scooped items into bags and ran off toward Clive Square, where they hid their booty.
Mr Potter said CCTV cameras in the area had helped police quickly track them.
Footage showed two of the group making their way to the square, clutching something to their chests.
Both appeared to have realised they may have been caught on camera and were hiding their faces - although in an earlier shot their features could be made out.
"It was good police work after that," Mr Potter said. "A patrol spotted them and moved in."
The group had been wandering back into the central city, after hiding the bags, when intercepted.
Mr Potter said parents were notified and the children handed over to them.
The mother of one girl was "very angry" and said she was unhappy about the choice her daughter had made for companions.
Two of the group appeared in the Napier Court last Friday and were bailed to go through the Youth Court process. The rest would be dealt with through Youth Services.