The South Australian government is tonight moving to get tougher on repeat child criminals, blocking their release on bail, and changing laws to allow harsher punishment.

The move was revealed in the aftermath of a shocking child gang crime in which workers were attacked as a bottle shop in the Adelaide suburb of Plympton was trashed.

The incident, which involved a group of up to 12 teenagers and children, some as young as 10, saw workers at the bottle shop allegedly attacked after two young girls were caught attempting to steal alcohol.

Palmer Hospitality Group chief executive Hugo Burton said the workers "shut up the shop and a number of youths went around to the front and tried to get in and when they couldn't, threw a few rocks".

One worker was punched multiple times in the face.

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