Teenagers Mugged at Knifepoint on Busy Hornchurch High Street.

A Romford mother has spoken of her fear, shock and dismay after her teenage son and daughter were mugged at knifepoint in Hornchurch last Friday afternoon.

Leanne told the Havering Daily that her 18-year-old son had gone to meet his 16-year-old sister after school near Lidl on Friday 5 December when the terrifying incident unfolded.

“My son was waiting to meet his sister after school just near Lidl. They noticed that they were being followed so went back on themselves. It was then that one of the males grabbed my son and threw him into a nearby alleyway, whilst the other threatened to stab my daughter if she didn’t follow or screamed.”

Once trapped in the alleyway, the two masked males ordered the teens to hand over their phones and reset them. But the robbery didn’t go as planned.

“My daughter didn’t know her password to reset the phone and my son’s phone took too long to reset so they couldn’t do it. The males then left.”

Both teenagers were left traumatised and shaking after the ordeal. Despite the incident happening just after 5pm on a busy Friday afternoon, Leanne says shockingly nobody stepped in or offered help.

“My daughter was visibly very upset having seen a knife and being threatened with it, she was crying and when they went into the gym in the middle of Hornchurch, not one person went up to ask if she was ok.”

The parents collected their children shortly after and contacted police. Officers attended the following day and an investigation is now underway.

Leanne is now warning other parents to speak to their children about personal safety.

“This happened on a busy Friday afternoon. Two youths carrying knives, openly and brazenly.”

Both teens have been left distressed, anxious and scared to go out alone following the attack.

The suspects are described as two black males aged around 19 to 20 years old. Both were wearing dark tracksuits. One had a balaclava and the other wore a Covid-style face mask. One had braided hair.

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