A worried mum has appealed for parents and police to do more to tackle low level crime in Orpington after her son was mugged.

The mother allowed her son, 13, out on the streets for the first time independently with his two friends after she bought him a new bike.

However, between 4.30pm and 5pm on Monday, "two hooded hood rats" stole his bike while he and his friends went into a shop.

Her son chased them along Crescent Way in Green Street Green and caught up with the thieves, believed to be older teenagers, sitting on a wall.

They were smashing up the bike when the boy pleaded for it back.

The mum, 32, who wished not to be named, said: "They told him he would have to give them money.

"He said he only had a fiver and they took the money and went off."

The bike’s brakes and gears no longer work because of the damage caused.

His mum said she was angry her son chased the teenagers and she also questioned why he didn’t use his bike lock.

However, she appealed for parents in Orpington to teach their kids right from wrong.

In a Facebook appeal she wrote: "Orpington parents and carers; can we all try harder with our children teach them and explain that this isn't nice, children mugging children shouldn't happen!

"It starts at home, if things are going to ever get better, if we are going to change the perception of Orpington and its rising crime and the stigma it is creating for this town."

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The mum moved to Orpington in 2009 and started martial arts after feeling unsafe in certain areas.

She said her son now wants to re-join her Kung Fu classes to learn self-defence.

"It seems to be getting worse here," she told News Shopper. "The high street is like a playground and when I go I have to think about what time of day it is.

"You can’t go to certain areas because it is vulgar."

She said she wants police to go into schools more to interact with children and to advise youngsters on how to keep safe.

"We need extra money for youth clubs because these kids are bored," she added. "Police also need to monitor kids who are misbehaving and committing low level crimes."

The mum added that people were surprised the mugging happened in Green Street Green and said kids needed to be cautious wherever they are.

She went to a scheduled police appointment with her son yesterday morning to discuss what happened.