Graffiti vandals 'arrested' by criminals

Another big thanks for Sue & David from across the big pond! I tell you, they can find some of the funniest stuff out there!

Courtesy of Sheffield Today

VANDALS caught spraying graffiti over a Sheffield school and community centre were apprehended by criminals repaying their debt to society.

Community Service workers had just finished cleaning graffiti off the exterior walls of Paces Campus at High Green when they spotted two youths armed with cans of spray paint vandalising the building.

They made citizens' arrests and detained the duo until police arrived to arrest them on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

Brian Edley, a volunteer who spends 46 hours a week running a cafe at the campus, said he and others who work at the campus were disappointed at the repeated vandalism attacks.

"We feel like we are fighting a losing battle - no sooner do people on community service clean the building then the vandals are back," he said. "About 15 months ago there wasn't one bit of graffiti on the building - community service workers had done a brilliant job cleaning it all up, but now we are back to square one. It must be so disheartening for all the people involved in community service to see all their hard work and efforts wasted."

He added: "But the fact they were so incensed when they caught vandals red-handed proves how seriously they take their work. We hope the fact the police were called sends out a strong message that vandalism is taken seriously."

The Paces Campus on Pack Horse Lane offers conductive education for children with cerebral palsy and doubles up as a community centre.