ON THE STREET - £655

When teenagers go out with their mates at the weekend, the last words before they leave are usually on the lines of: Can you lend me some cash?

But most parents might think twice about handing over the money if they realised how much their little treasure's outfit has already cost them.

According to a survey, the average teenager on the street has clothes and gadgets worth £655.

No wonder that 40 per cent of parents are feeling obliged to include their children's possessions on their home insurance policies.

Youngsters' expensive tastes means they are increasingly becoming victims of crime and one in four has lost a major item through theft or carelessness over the last year.

The survey of 3,000 parents, carried out by the insurance firm Allianz, comes amid growing concern of a teen-on-teen crimewave.

Earlier this year, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith warned that youngsters are routinely carrying 'hot products' worth hundreds of pounds which are then stolen on the street.

According to the survey, the average teenager on a night out leaves home in clothes costing around £225, while probably carrying a mobile phone and a music player such as an iPod, together worth another £260 or so.

In addition, he or she is likely to be wearing a watch worth £72 and carrying £49 in cash.

But many teenagers will be walking around with other expensive items and 14 per cent said they regularly carried a hand-held games console which costs about £60.

(From Mail Online)