A SENIOR policeman is calling for local authorities to be given greater powers in dealing with youngsters who abscond from care homes and then commit crime.

Superintendent Graham Strange, of Cleveland Police, made the appeal while highlighting two cases involving Middlesbrough youngsters at a presentation to councillors.

He said that one 16-year-old boy had been missing from care 371 times since January 1999, and during that time, was arrested 29 times.

In another case, a 14-year-old boy went missing 197 times from last February, being arrested 27 times.

Supt Strange said that while the police work with Middlesbrough Borough Council in trying to prevent such situations occurring, he felt the council was restricted in the measures it could take.

Speaking after the presentation, he said: "I think more needs to be done. There's a gap in the service, and the local authority thinks there's nothing more it can do.

"That's the time to lobby the Government - the issue needs to be raised."

A council spokesman said the issue of young people in care offending was taken very seriously.

He said: "Middlesbrough is one of the areas to be given new powers to deal with persistent anti-social behaviour among youngsters."