The Cook Islands Police are working with the community in Rarotonga to try and find a way to stop young people becoming involved in crime.
Eleven people, including four children aged between 12 and 14, have been arrested after a surge in burglaries on the island.
Inspector Tere Patia says one of the children, a 12 year old, has committed 23 burglaries - 17 of which were this year.
He says reasons given for the burglaries include being bored and unemployed.
"Well it's probably addressing the root cause of why they are doing this. So we are looking at how we can help these young people and also with the community included to, so we are doing something about it."
Inspector Tere Patia says the arrests were made after a police operation which targeted known offenders.
