An 11-year-old Moroccan migrant, who allegedly led a youth gang responsible for over 70 burglaries, is set to be transferred to a secure facility outside Hamburg. The child, who arrived in Germany as an unaccompanied minor in November, has been linked to a string of break-ins across Hamburg and neighboring areas.

Authorities apprehended the youth last Thursday during a burglary attempt in Norderstedt, Schleswig-Holstein. However, due to his age, he cannot be held criminally liable, Bild newspaper reports.

The situation is complicated by Hamburg's red-green Senate policy, which prohibits "secure" facilities within the state. Given the severity of his alleged crimes, officials deem it inappropriate to place him in standard youth migrant centers, necessitating his transfer to another federal state with more suitable facilities.

Thomas Jungfer, regional chairman of the German Police Union, criticized the current approach, telling Bild, "A child who knows they cannot be prosecuted and acts cheekily and defiantly should face a clear response from the constitutional state."

Police say the boy was not acting alone but leading a group of migrant youths, including a 16-year-old Tunisian who was also arrested. Both were residing at a children's and youth emergency shelter in Hamburg, a facility plagued by frequent police interventions.

Since the start of 2024, police have responded to 280 calls at the shelter. Incident reports reveal 101 assaults, 29 drug abuse cases, 30 attacks on staff members, 42 threats of violence, and 35 property damage cases.

The shelter, Hamburg's sole crisis facility for minors, is severely understaffed and overcrowded, housing 120 children in a space designed for 102. Staffing issues persist with 12 vacant positions, four employees on extended sick leave, and three others showing signs of burnout.

Responding to inquiries in 2023, Hamburg Social Services acknowledged the challenges posed by the influx of asylum seekers, stating, "Today, 20 percent of all care cases are handled by independent providers in decentralized settings."