article_snippet.sent: Children as young as four have been investigated for drug and sex offences - and toddlers aged just two suspected of assault, it was revealed today.
article_snippet.sent: Shocking figures from West Midlands Police also show a nine-year-old has been probed on suspicion of criminal damage and a four-year-old questioned over an assault.
article_snippet.sent: Between 2009 and 2014 a total of 617 youngsters aged under ten in the region either committed, of were suspected of committing, a crime.
article_snippet.sent: Investigated: Between 2009 and 2014 a total of 617 youngsters aged under ten in the West Midlands either committed, of were suspected of committing, a crime, according to figures (file picture posed by model)
article_snippet.sent: They include 41 nine-year-old boys investigated for crimes last year including five suspected of sexual offences, according to the details released after a Freedom of Information Act request.
article_snippet.sent: A nine-year-old girl was also linked to a case of criminal damage while a five-year-old girl was alleged to have committed sexual activity with a child.
article_snippet.sent: But four-year-old children have also been investigated on suspicion of possessing cannabis, criminal damage, assault, theft and sexual activity with a child aged under 13.
article_snippet.sent: In both 2013 and 2014 two-year-old boys were believed to be behind assaults and in 2012 a three-year-old girl was suspected of being responsible for a theft.
article_snippet.sent: West Midlands Police (whose headquarters in Birmingham are pictured) released figures showing that in both 2013 and 2014 two-year-old boys were believed to be behind assaults .
highlights_snippet.sent: Nine-year-old probed over criminal damage & four-year-old over assault .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: 617 under-tens in West Midlands from 2009 to 2014 in suspected crimes .
  
highlights_snippet.sent: Five-year-old girl is alleged to have committed sexual activity with child .
  