Auckland, March 15 (IANS) A five-year-old boy and two six-year-olds were amongst the 12 children apprehended by New Zealand police for sexual assault last year, a media report said Monday.

Police did not give details, citing privacy issues.

The boys were among 716 children who were less than nine-years-old who were reprimanded in 2008-09 for offences ranging from unlawfully taking a bicycle and possession of cannabis to threatening to kill and assault with a weapon, New Zealand Herald reported.

Superintendent Bill Harrison, national manager of police youth services, said he was shocked on learning about children who committed offences.

The children who were apprehended included included a four-year-old girl, two five-year-old girls and five five-year-old boys.

They were reprimanded for dishonesty offences such as shoplifting, burglary or theft valued under $500.

The numbers, including 525 boys, were released to New Zealand Herald under the Official Information Act.

Ian Lambie, an associate professor, said that children who committed crimes generally modelled their behaviour on that of their parents.

'High levels of aggression when very young are usually due to the family environment. If parents are violent, involved in alcohol or drug abuse or have psychiatric problems their children are more likely to act out,' Lambie was quoted as saying.

No person under the age of 10 can be convicted of an offence.