Students in criminal detention over muggings

A group of 15 middle school pupils have been put in criminal detention in Beijing on suspicion of carrying out a series of muggings in early December in the Sanlitun area, a popular commercial district in the capital's downtown area.

Police said the gang operated late at night and targeted multiple victims in the district, which is known for its bars and shopping centers.

All of the suspects study at a nearby middle school, with the youngest aged 13, police said.