AN ENQUIRY has been launched in Tadley after a 12-year-old boy was threatened by a teenager who was said to have had a knife twice in less than a week.

Police have upped patrols in the area and have reassured residents that they are taking the reports "extremely seriously".

The boy was with two friends outside the shops in Bishopswood Road last Tuesday (September 22) when he was approached by the teenager.

Police say that the teenager was intimidating, and punched one of the boys in the back.

He then chased them on foot into the woods, with one of the boys saying he might have been carrying a knife.

Six days later, the 12-year-old boy was in the same location when he was approached by the same teenager.

He challenged the boy, according to police, before pushing him to the ground and was said to have a knife in his hand. The 12-year-old, who was uninjured, managed to run to a local shop to seek refuge and the shop owner called police.

Police attended and scanned the area for CCTV, as well as carrying out house to house enquiries.

Tadley Neighbourhood Sergeant Lisa Kempster said: "I would like to reassure residents that we take reports of anyone carrying a knife in a public place extremely seriously and our enquiries are ongoing in relation to this.

"I would also like to urge anyone who may have witnessed what happened on either date at the Bishopswood parade of shops to please get in touch by calling 101 and quoting reference 44200369530.

"If you are aware of anything similar where a young person has been threatened or intimidated - or any incident involving someone carrying a knife in a public place, or any kind of anti social behaviour, then please also get in touch. 

"Ongoing police patrols are taking place in and around this location. As well as the Neighbourhood Team officers who are based in Tadley, there are also our Response & Patrol officers, Roads Policing and Dog Units, who are also on regular patrol throughout the district and can be deployed to any incident.

"As I said earlier, we would urge the community to report anything suspicious. If someone is in immediate danger, property is at risk of damage or a crime is in progress, ALWAYS call 999.

"You can now report crime or suspicious activity online by visiting our website www.hampshire.police.uk or by clicking on this link:https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ 

"Additionally there is a new facility to report Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), using the following link:https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb-b/report-antisocial-behaviour/"