POLICE have praised the Comet after last week s front page brought a respite in the wave of criminal damage that has hit Potton during the past month. Both schools in the town, Burgoyne and Potton Lower, have been constantly targeted by vandals with over

POLICE have praised the Comet after last week's front page brought a respite in the wave of criminal damage that has hit Potton during the past month.

Both schools in the town, Burgoyne and Potton Lower, have been constantly targeted by vandals with over 50 windows smashed on three successive weekends, costing thousands of pounds to repair.

On Monday last week Potton Lower School in Everton Road was forced to close during the afternoon after 25 windows had been shattered the previous night by vandals throwing stones and kicking windows.

Damage was so serious, with classroom floors and furniture covered in glass, that staff took the decision to send pupils home while repair work was carried out.

Windows at Potton Town Council offices in Brook End have also been smashed and graffiti daubed over the walls at the public toilets in the Market Square.

Police mounted the first of their high profile operations at the weekend in an attempt to find those responsible for the criminal damage and reported on Monday there had not been a single incident of vandalism.

"The message has suddenly hit home with the Comet's front page last week," said Potton beat manager Pc Ross Patterson.

"It has made a lot of people aware of the trouble that has been going on. The feedback and comment about the story has been very good

"It has also made people in Potton aware of just how seriously the police are taking this wave of vandalism and what we are doing to try and stop it and bring those responsible before the courts.

"It is time for the public to support us in our drive to cut this type of crime out. It is costing a lot of money for the schools and the council to repair the damage and it is also costing police extra money putting more officers and resources into Potton to try and beat vandalism.

"Hopefully, the Comet story has gone a long way to help us make Potton a safer place and vandalism free."

Insp John Maries of Biggleswade police, who oversees policing for Potton, said: "The Comet front page was brilliant. It shows how the police and the press can work together to beat crime."

* One Potton teenager has been arrested for vandalising a motor vehicle back in 2003 after police used new DNA technology. He is expected to appear in court before Christmas.