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An 11-year-old boy used a hammer to break the windows of a 7-Eleven store to steal vape cartridges, Boston police said.

At about 4:11 a.m., Boston officers responded to 473 West Broadway St. in South Boston for a report of a breaking and entering in progress.

Arriving officers saw the glass door of the business was broken and found an 11-year-old boy inside the store.

The boy said he broke into the store using a hammer to get something to eat, but when officers searched his bag, they found vape cartridges and no food, police said.

Surveillance video shows the boy reaching through the hole in the front door he created by using the hammer and unlocking the door. The video then shows him going behind the counter, climbing on a chair and putting vape cartridges into his backpack.

"That kid is, obviously, too young to be doing something — let alone illegal — like that but also be vaping," said South Boston resident Miles Sullivan.

"I hope he's not addicted to vaping, but I know that it's getting younger and younger," said fellow South Boston resident Zoe Siegel.

"It's obviously sad. You don't want kids going down that path early on," said Brian Sachetta, also of South Boston. "It's not like it's hard drugs but at 11 years old, it seems like it's a gateway. So that's scary."

Because of the boy's age, officers were unable to charge him with any criminal offenses but notified his parents and applied for the appropriate support services to be provided to the boy and his family.

Video below: Children's psychologist on kids' vaping, JUUL use

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