A young boy has been arrested in Australia after he admitted putting needles in strawberries.
Detectives from New South Wales said that a young boy was arrested in the last few days after he “admitted to a prank” which involved putting needles in the fruit.
Police in Australia are investigating more than 100 reports of needles found in fruit. They believe that there is more than one perpetrator and that some of the cases are the work of copycat offenders or hoaxes.
NSW Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said: “Obviously in the last few days we found a young person has admitted to a prank, including putting needles in strawberries.”
Mr Smith said the boy will be dealt with under the youth cautioning system, Seven News reports.
In a statement released by NSW on Tuesday, a spokesman for the force said offenders found guilty of deliberately contaminating food face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Detectives have vowed offenders will feel the full force of the law if found contaminating fruit.
The Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia plans to increase the maximum jail term to 15 years for anyone convicted of contaminating food.
The government will also move to criminalise hoax claims before parliament rises for a two-week holiday on Thursday, Mr Morrison said.
"It's not funny, putting the livelihoods of hard-working Australians at risk," the prime minister told reporters in Canberra. "If you do that sort of thing in this country we will come after you and we will throw the book at you."
Australia's Attorney-General Christian Porter said that the government was looking at introducing a maximum 10-year jail sentence for hoaxers.
Police received the first report of a needle found in strawberries in Queensland on September 12.
Officers later received reports that up to three brands – ‘Berry Obsession’, ‘Berry Licious’ and ‘Donnybrook’ – had been affected. Strawberries sold by these brands have since been recalled.
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New South Wales police also received reports that needles had been found in a banana and an apple. These two are being treated as isolated incidents.
A child at Newcastle primary school reportedly found a needle inside a banana in their lunchbox on Wednesday before teachers and police were alerted.
In a statement released on Facebook, teachers at the school urged parents to cut up fruit in their child’s lunch box before packing it to prevent further contamination.
Prime Minister Mr Morrison added: “Some idiot, for his own reasons, has engaged in an act of sabotage.”
He branded the behaviour “reckless” and as he announced he is seeking harsher penalties for copycat offenders.
He added: “This is a shocking and cowardly thing for this individual and others who have jumped onto the bandwagon here to have engaged in.”
