Two teenagers arrested after Jewish woman robbed in suspected hate crime in London

Two teenagers aged 13 and 14 have been arrested following the robbery and assault of a woman in London.

The 20 year old victim, who identifies as Jewish, was targeted on Rostrevor Avenue in Haringay at around 4:30pm on Thursday (December 7).

She suffered minor injuries and was left shaken by the incident, during which her handbag was taken.

The Metropolitan Police are treating it as a suspected hate crime.

CCTV images taken near the scene suggested the suspects were wearing school uniforms, with the Met saying it worked with local schools to trace those it believes to be responsible.

The girls were arrested around midday yesterday on suspicion of robbery and assault and remain in police custody.

Detective Sergeant Asli Benson, who has led the investigation, said: “This was a terrifying incident for the young woman who was attacked. We will continue to ensure she has the right support.

“Officers have been pursuing all available lines of enquiry since the incident and these arrests are a very positive development.

“The victim is from the orthodox Jewish community. It would have been obvious from her appearance that she was Jewish and there has been significant concern that she was targeted for that reason.

“In the current climate, when fears and uncertainty in the wider Jewish community are heightened following the terror attacks in Israel and the subsequent rise in antisemitic hate crime here in London, these concerns are entirely understandable.

“While we are keeping an open mind as to the motive behind the incident and will continue to explore all avenues, we are treating this as a possible hate crime.”

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