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A "serious targeted response" is needed to stop a gang who have been targeting young people to viciously mug.

Yesterday, Dublin Live reported how a 17-year-old received cuts to his face after being attacked by a gang of three trying to take his phone.

The boy, who managed to hold onto his possessions, had to be taken to hospital to be treated.

The vicious happened on Monday last around teatime in the lane behind the local church that leads to Portmarnock Pitch and Putt club

The alley, which is adjacent to the local primary school, is often used by children from two neighbouring housing estates and is the only access point for the town's Arch Club for people with special needs.

Local resident and Labour councillor Brian McDonagh gave a strong reaction to the latest attack saying he's been "disturbed" by the spate of incidents in the area.

He said: "These events are very much unprecedented in my time in Portmarnock.

"I and my family use the lane where this occurred every day and at any time of day and night and I would never previously have imagined any such offences could happen there.

"Young people are being deliberately targeted for phones and jackets by youths almost certainly coming from outside the area.

"I would ask people to report any suspicious activity to the gardai.

"This requires a serious and targeted response from gardai who I know are as concerned as I am.

"People have a right to walk around their own community without being assaulted or robbed.

"This cannot be allowed to become common here or anywhere else in Ireland."

Gardai are now investigating the assault on the laneway, as well as a number of other incidents including but not limited to:

A boy having his jacket and phone robbed at Malahide Train Station

Two boys being attacked and one mugged at Portmarnock Village

Several people complaining that they had had to run after youths demanded their phones

Another young man whose jeans and runners were stolen by gangs

A car being surrounded by gang members near Portmarnock beach

A 13-year-old being beaten and robbed by a group outside Sutton Dart Station

A video of a teen being threatened with a knife in Lusk

Months ago, a gang threatened to cut a baby out of a heavily pregnant women .

Earlier this week footage also emerged of a teen being threatened at knife point in broad daylight .

In the video, which was taken in Lusk, the terrified 17-year-old male can be seen backed up against a wall while a knife is held to his throat.

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Last week, Dublin Live also reported on a shocking mugging that saw a schoolboy beaten right outside a busy DART station at rush hour.

Two thugs approached the 13-year-old lad outside Sutton station in north Dublin at around 5.30pm on Wednesday and demanded his phone while a third man kept a look out.