An innocent trip to the candy store turned sour for two 11-year-old Saltus Grammar School students who were robbed of five dollars.

The boys, Christopher Griffiths and Bayard Outerbridge, were inside the Washington Mall around 4 p.m. on Wednesday when three youths dressed in green blazers approached them.

One of them stopped Christopher and asked him for money while the other two looked on.

"We were on our way to Treats,'' Christopher explained. "He came up to me and grabbed my book bag and asked me to empty my pockets.

"I had five dollars in my hand but I pulled out my pockets and he saw there was nothing there.'' Meantime, Bayard said the youth who he believed was around 13 to 14-years-old became abusive and kicked both of them on their shins.

And it was at this time that the attackers discovered that Christopher had $5 in his hand.

"I had $6 in my hand but they did not get it,'' Bayard said. "They took Chris' $5 and took off.'' Both boys admitted that the incident shook them up.

"I couldn't believe it happened to me,'' Bayard continued. "I want the Police to find them. We want them both to get caught.'' Christopher said he saw the youths that attacked them at the Hamilton Bus Terminal while they were at a pay phone reporting the incident to Police.

He said the youths saw him but they ran away. Police are currently investigating the matter.

Mrs. Dee Griffiths, Christopher's mother, said her son was distraught when he arrived home after the incident.

"He kept asking me what he could have done differently and if it was his fault,'' she said. "This is sick. Everybody should be able to go into any shop they want.

"It's scary when kids cannot go into a shop without being approached by other children who believe they have a right to take their money.

"Every parent of a child with a green blazer needs to ask whether the culprits who behaved in this way toward Christopher and Bayard were their children.

" ... as a community we need to stand up and say no not just to drugs but to violent and other unacceptable behaviour.'' ROBBED -- Bayard Outerbridge (left) and Christopher Griffiths, both 11, were robbed of five dollars as they entered a candy store at the Washington Mall on Wednesday afternoon.