Teenage boys captured in Crowland by Cambridgeshire Police after stealing woman’s car in Peterborough

Two teenage boys who robbed a woman of her car at knifepoint have been sentenced.

Police caught the boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Crowland after the incident, which had taken place in Peterborough.

The 17-year-old, from Peterborough, and 15-year-old, from Horley in Surrey, both of whom cannot be named for legal reasons, wore face coverings as they demanded car keys from their 31-year-old victim.

She had parked her white Audi S5 in St Johns Street, Peterborough city centre, at about 11.30pm on 23 November last year, while she went into a nearby shop.

As she returned a short while later, the teenage boys approached her with one holding a knife to her stomach, and demanded she hand over the car keys.

Fearing for her life, she complied, and the pair drove off in her car after also snatching her mobile phone from her hands.

She used a member of the public’s phone to call police.

The victim’s handbag, which was inside the car, was found in the garden of a pub in Grove Street, which was reported to police.

CCTV footage showed the Audi pull up outside the pub and the two teens get out and throw the bag over a fence before getting back in the car and driving off.

Police came across the stolen car on the A47 near to the Eye roundabout in Peterborough at just after 1am and signalled for it to pull over, however it made off, before the pair were eventually caught in North Bank, Crowland, about half an hour later.

The pair both admitted a charge of robbery last year while the elder boy was found guilty of being in possession of a knife in a public place following a trial at Peterborough Youth Court in January.

They both appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday (9 April) where they were each ordered to complete youth rehabilitation orders with intensive supervision for two-and-a-half years.

They must adhere to a curfew between 7pm and 7am for the next nine months, wear an electronic tag, and have been banned from Peterborough city centre for three months.

The 17-year-old must complete 50 days of specified activity, while the 15-year-old must complete 180 days of specified activity and 12 reparation sessions.

Detective Constable Megan Sims, who investigated, said: “This was an incredibly frightening incident for the victim who feared for her life.

“The teenagers’ actions were completely unacceptable, and while they have not been handed prison sentences, they will be under strict supervision and must complete rehabilitative activity to hopefully change their ways.”