A mother has said she would like to "chop off the hands" of thieves who mugged her son and his friend.

Two boys were walking home from school at 3.45pm on January 9 when a gang of balaclava-clad men emerged from Tufnell Park tube station.

The teenagers crossed the road to gain sanctuary in an off-licence in Brecknock Road but the store was closed.

According to the boys' mothers the gang pushed them against the wall and took a wallet from one and a phone and earpods from the other.

One of the boys managed to escape when a member of the public shouted out.

The mother of one boy, 14, said: "This happened in broad daylight. They were so brazen, they came out on to the street with balaclavas on. They didn't just snatch it out of their hands, they went through their pockets. My son didn't know his wallet had gone."

She added: "The police seemed to know who they are. The police are banging their heads against a wall. They do the work and get a tag or get them referred to social services but there's no punishment there. I would like them people to have their hands chopped off if I'm honest.

"They didn't bring out any weapons but you never know. It's frightening, 16 and 17 year olds are big, they are like men, and when they have their balaclavas on and talking the talk, it's scary. It's like a ghetto round here."

The mother of the 15-year-old boy said: "He said he was facing the shop door when they grabbed his arm and spun him around. They asked him what phone he had and rifled through his pockets and asked him for his password.

"They found the airpods he got for Christmas as well. They didn't snatch it from him. They put their own hands in his pockets. It's a violation. It's disgusting."

She said his school work was suffering and affected his GCSE mock exams as he was unable to concentrate.

"Alot of the blame lies with the parents," she added. "I'm a single parent with three children. I haven't done everything right but I know my children wouldn't dream of putting anybody through that trauma." 

A Met Police spokesperson said officers carried out a search of the area, "however the suspects were not found". 

Further enquiries are taking place and anyone with information about what happened is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 4383/09Jan.