A nine-year-old has been described as a "one-boy crimewave" after detectives linked him to up to 30 offences.

Because of his age, the Laindon boy can't be prosecuted and has escaped with an informal caution for his crimes, including taking dumper trucks for joyrides.

But a police officer on Thursday issued a grim warning: mend your ways as we'll be watching and waiting.

The boy mainly targeted building sites in Laindon during his months of committing burglaries and criminal damage.

His offences included:

Several windows broken by a catapult on building sites in Hermitage Drive and Spire Road, Laindon

A smashed window, and keys and window locks stolen from a site in Chancel Close, Laindon

Thirteen separate offences of taking dumper trucks and driving them around building sites

Burglaries in Spire Road, Laindon, and three other sites

Kicking over a garden wall in Deacon Drive, Laindon, and another in Parsonage Lane.

Sgt Andy Willmott of Basildon police said: "We are aware he's a problem. He's been a one-boy crimewave. We will be watching and waiting and when he is old enough we will be dealing with him again if he hasn't changed his ways."

Det Sgt Trevor Garrard of Laindon police, who dealt with the youngster, said: "He is too young for any action to be taken so he was given what we call an informal warning.

"The details are recorded and offences are admitted and that's it. But, if he comes to our attention after he's ten then we can look at these again."

In law, under tens can't commit crime and between the ages of ten and 14, police have to show or prove the child knew what he was doing was wrong.

Det Sgt Garrard added: "The problem is these building sites are so huge you can't secure them and to these kids they are like playgrounds.

"But what they consider to be just mucking around is in fact causing damage."

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