A Christchurch mother is terrified her 13-year-old son will accidentally kill himself or an innocent person in one of his out-of-control crime sprees.

Mary (not her real name) told Chris Lynch Media her son has been involved in high-speed police chases, was caught driving stolen cars, committed a ram raid, and was being influenced by older gang prospects.

She’s pleaded with social agencies for four years to help her son but said they don’t care.

Mary first discovered her son was involved in criminal activity when she received a call from his primary school saying he had been suspended for trying to sell marijuana at school, which he got from his friends.

“We thought things might change when he went to intermediate school, but they got worse and he started mixing with the wrong crowd.

He kept running away from home and school and was eventually kicked out of intermediate school.”

Mary said despite countless meetings with social services, and police, her son’s behaviour deteriorated.

“When he started high school last year, nothing changed. I think he had three full days at school”

When he wasn’t there or at home, he was breaking into cars with his so-called friends.

“He was trespassed from Eastgate Mall, but police couldn’t do much other than drop him back at school.

I would pick him up, we’d have a meeting, go home, and he’d misbehave again.”

There was a flicker of hope early last year when Mary convinced him to get involved in sports instead of causing trouble with his friends.

“For a while, he was playing rugby league after joining the gym. Things were looking up. But his old mates didn’t like the fact he ditched them and on three separate occasions, I had my windows smashed and my car tyres slashed.”

Mary said they taunted and bullied him on social media calling him vile names for leaving their group.

“When I was out at the supermarket one day, they went to my house with knives, axes and hammers. My backdoor was smashed in and a back window was ripped off its hinges to gain access. They stole a number of items including clothes.

The group of boys abused and threatened neighbours when they tried to intervene.

A petrified Mary said the incident forced her to move the family into emergency housing, but social workers refused to allow her son to stay, blaming him for causing the family to end up homeless.

Mary managed to get in contact with a police officer, who had dealt with her son before.

“I pleaded with him to do something. He was helpful and promised to get back to me in a week, once he had gathered enough information.”

But during that week, Mary’s son was back with his old mates again. He committed fraud, spending three and a half thousand dollars on overseas goods using stolen credit cards.

The police officer referred him to Oranga Tamariki, but the agency said it was best for the family to find a solution.

“I couldn’t believe it. Not even a police referral was enough for OT to help.”

On the 21 of December, her son committed a ram-raid in Ashburton, but there was little in the way of punishment because of his age.

“Within the past 12 months, he’s been offered three restaurant jobs, the first one he turned down because he said the pay wasn’t enough, and on the first day of his second job, he stole from an employee.

Mary said her son comes across as polite and likable in front of social workers, who then form a false impression that there’s nothing wrong with him – so they close the file.

“We’ve jumped from social service to social service. The agencies are so dismissive.”

Currently, her son was still at his grandfather’s place.

“Dad is really good. He’s been the only father figure in his life, but he can only do so much.

I’ve tried as a parent to find help, but I keep coming up against roadblocks.

I feel like I just don’t have the resources or tools.”

Mary fears her son will end up dead, accidentally killing himself or killing someone else while dangerous driving.

“We’ve looked at military schools, which he’s expressed an interest in. There was a school on the West Coast that might be able to help in February. It’s almost like these places won’t take him because he’s not quite naughty enough, not quite old enough, or he’s too old.”

“I’m at the stage now where I think he needs to spend time with a first responder to hear first-hand what they see when things go horribly wrong, or speak to the family of an innocent person killed because of a reckless teenager driving a stolen car.”