Kids who ripped up shopping centre flowers caught - and made to replant them
Two young boys who were caught after ripping up flowers at a Stoke-on-Trent shopping centre have been made to replant them.
The children - who appear to be aged between nine and 12 - had to give up part of their weekend to refill the planters outside Longton Exchange. Their parents agreed to the move to teach the children that their actions have consequences.
Staffordshire Police shared photos of the youngsters - dressed in hot pink hi-vis jackets - busy at work yesterday (September 29). Another image showed the planter bursting with colourful blooms once again.
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A force spokesman said: "Good news! Following extensive enquiries PCSOs have identified two young lads responsible for pulling up plants at the Longton Exchange Shopping Centre.
"As part of a joint agreement with their parents, management and Police they have spent their Saturday afternoon planting new flowers and learning that their actions have consequences."
Longton Exchange is bucking the national downturn in retail to see all units fully let and footfall rising. Efforts to attract shoppers have included putting on family-friendly events and sprucing up the area with rainbow benches, a colourful makeover and planters.
Shoppers were delighted to see the boys made to learn a lesson. One said: "Well done to the parents for acknowledging the boys did wrong and working with the centre to have it put right. Looks lovely."
Another said: "Now that is far better than exposing these young people to the courts for doing something that they thought was just a prank. A much better way of showing them that actions have consequences. Well done to all involved in going about this the right way."
And a third added: "Well done to all concerned. Impressed that the police backed the Exchange's idea to get these young people in to right their wrong.
"Impressed that the parents backed this and agreed to this approach. This is community justice at its best. These kids stand a good chance of growing up knowing that actions have consequences."