I felt I must respond to Ms H Lynch and her views (Distressed shoplifting lad, September 28).

Was the last sentence a racial slur (Would this have happened had the young lad been a foreigner?).

Has the main issue been missed - the young schoolboy was stealing. Heavy handed, possibly, but did he show human rights to the people he was stealing from? Maybe a message was shown to others - we don't want crime in our town.

RAYMOND BRADLEY Kew Crescent North Cheam