Futian police announced Friday that 25 suspected members of three gangs based in Futian District accused of robbing school students had been caught since April. Nine suspected gang members went on trial that day.

The gangs, which called themselves "Hongmen," "Chuangshi" and "Huangchao" respectively, played the bully in and around schools, robbing school students, said Jing Yijun, vice chief of the Futian public security bureau.

According to Jing, most of these suspects were under 20, and had no fixed employment. Some were even school students. They have been accused of robbing cash, mobile phones, and laptops from students at bus stops, playgrounds, snack bars and parks.

Members of the Hongmen gang started robbing students near Gangxia Middle School in Futian District on April 5. Nine days later, three of its important members were caught.

On March 3, a middle school student was assaulted and robbed of a Nokia mobile phone at a bus stop on Sungang Road. The following day, another student was stabbed and injured on Baihua Road.

After an investigation which lasted over a month, seven suspected members of the Chuangshi gang were caught in Shenzhen and Zhongshan.

"These groups resembled gangs. They contacted each other on the Internet. Members were divided into four grades. Those of the fourth grade had to pay 'protection fee' to the third grade," said Jing. Some middle school students were forced to join the groups. Initially coerced to hand in protection money, they were also involved in group robberies.

Jing reminded students and parents to report robberies to the police immediately. The official said his bureau will strengthen policing in school areas.

(Shenzhen Daily June 26, 2006)