Police target networking sites

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Social networking sites on the internet are being targeted in a bid to cut violent crime in the west of Scotland.

Strathclyde Police said young cadets were being used to scan sites such as Bebo and YouTube.

Photographs and video clips which show young people brandishing weapons or involved in gang-related activity are then passed on to officers.

Five teenagers were arrested in Glasgow and Ayrshire on Friday over the use of weapons on social networking sites.

A 17-year-old man, two 16-year-old men and a 14-year-old boy were arrested in Crosshouse, Ayrshire.

An 18-year-old man was also detained in the Dennistoun area of Glasgow.

'Weapons boast'

Assistant Chief Constable Campbell Corrigan said: "It is a well known fact that anti-social behaviour and youth disorder can severely impact on the quality of lives within communities.

"It seems that many of these sites are offering youngsters an easy, accessible facility for them to boast about their involvement in gangs or the collection of weapons they own. Clearly, this has to stop.

"We will continue to monitor social networking sites as part of our ongoing campaign against violence.

"We hope that people will think twice about getting involved in these types of activities in the first place, let alone continue to post images or footage of themselves carrying weapons online."