WARNING: Contents graphic content

Police have confirmed two young boys responsible for a destructive and shocking crimewave in Parklands have been referred to Oranga Tamariki.

On Friday, a six and eight-year-old boy broke into a family house smashing electrical appliances, throwing paint across furniture, before entering a child’s room and taking fish from a tank and beheading them.

They continued their gruesome acts outside, removing fish from a large pond, and cutting off their heads with a hedge trimmer.

Christchurch Police issued a statement on Monday night saying “on Saturday 11 March police responded to reports of burglaries and intentional damage at two residential addresses in Parklands.

The spokesman said “police located a six-year-old and an eight-year-old, who are believed to have been responsible.

They have been referred to Oranga Tamariki” the spokesman said.

“Police appreciate that this incident would have been traumatising for those involved, and the victims have been offered support.”

The boys’ neighbour said she was living in fear.

“One day my dogs were roaming outside on my enclosed property when I heard one of them crying. A rock had been thrown so hard at my dog it caused a spilt on her face.”

The neighbour believed the children were responsible. She had phoned their landlord regarding rubbish being chucked over her fence.

“They just say oh we will be putting a case manager onto it.

I have phoned a number of times and get the same answer “we are trying to build a case.

But that isn’t good enough. I’m constantly worried about whether I’ll come home one day to find my windows smashed or my animals hurt.

The neighbour said, “we are nice people and have tried to put up with their behaviour thinking surely they would stop, but their mother can’t control them.”

Another resident said “the Parklands community had gone above and beyond to help the mother with her kids, including donating toys to keep them occupied.

“People have even supplied materials to make her fence higher, so the kids can’t escape.”

The resident said the children were often out late getting milk from a diary at 11 PM.

The boy’s mother, who Chris Lynch Media can’t name for legal reasons, expressed deep regret for their actions, saying that she was “absolutely shocked with what I’ve found out they have done.”

She added that her children were not prone to such behaviour and that they “loved animals” and others.

“They do have a loving and safe home, and there’s absolutely no violence here or anything to demonstrate such horrible behaviour they have done.

Oranga Tamariki has not commented on the situation.