A SPATE of thefts from children and teenagers has sparked concern among police who believe the incidents may all be linked.

Thames Valley Police appealed for witnesses after a man used a knife to make threats before stealing money and bikes from his victims.

A 39-year-old man from Reading has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and has been released under investigation.

An 18-year-old girl hit her head on a wall after she was pushed by a thief on February 5 at around 1.40am on East Street.

The victim was approached by an unknown man, who threatened her with a knife and demanded her handbag before taking cash and running away.

Later the same afternoon, also on East Street, a man approached a 15-year-old boy while he was riding his bike and threatened him.

The boy dropped his bike and the offender cycled away along London Road and Crown Street.

The stolen bike, an orange and black Voodoo Bantu mountain bike, was taken at around 3.50pm.

At around the same time on February 9, a man approached another boy, 12, who was riding his bike on Northumberland Avenue, near John Madejski Academy.

The man threatened to stab the boy, who ran away shouting for help before the the offender stole the bike and cycled up the road.

The bike stolen was a silver and red Carrera mountain bike with disc brakes.

Case investigator Mark Sainsbury, of the Investigation Hub, based at Reading police station, said: “We are appealing for witnesses following these three incidents which we believe are linked.

“We have arrested a man and he has been released under investigation.

“We would ask anyone who may have witnessed these robberies to please call 101 quoting reference 43180037011.”