TWO school boys were caught red handed trying to sell a pair of cameras worth around �350 they had stolen from Thomas Clarkson Community College.

They were caught after an alert PCSO- based at the school- carried out a swift investigation after reports that students had been seen disposing of two empty camera cases at the rear of the school.

Schools officer PCSO Terry McCormack took witness statements and felt he recognised the students concerned from the descriptions given.

PCSO Martin Bogunovic said: “He then accompanied me on a tour of the local second hand shops as he suspected from the previous dealings with these youths that they would head straight for those locations to sell the cameras.

“We eventually caught up with both suspects at a caf� and caught them red handed selling the stolen property.”

PCSO Bogunovic added: “Without the knowledge that had been applied by PCSO McCormack this crime would not have been solved and the school would be missing �350 worth of cameras.

“I know that there is always concern as to whether the funding will continue for an officer in the school but this re-iterates the importance of having somebody with Terry’s local knowledge on the team.”

Inspector Robin Sissons, Fenland’s operations inspector, said the force locally had been committed to having a PCSO at the school for some years.

“I started it when I was here last and it is something that is spreading to other Fenland schools,” said Insp Sissons.