YOUTHS who went on a rampage through Harborough leaving a trail of destruction in their wake have been sentenced.
The late-night vandalism spree left thousands of pounds of damage to cars, homes and businesses across town.
At Leicester Youth Court on Tuesday last week, two of the boys, aged 16 and 17, were given 12-month community sentences and were each orde
red to complete 100 hours of community service.
The third boy, aged 16, was placed on a 12-month supervision contract with Leicestershire Youth Offending Service.
They will all have to return to court in March to be sentenced for some remaining offences related to the spree.
The three teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, committed the offences overnight between September 23 and 24 last year and were brought to court charged with a total of 28 offences.
Harborough police said the spate began in Great Bowden Road, where road signs were knocked over and damaged and bollards and signs were thrown onto the nearby railway line.
The youths made their way to The Ridgeway, where they stole ornamental flags from a garden, and then to The Crescent, where they started a bin fire.
They smashed a window to a home in Perkins Close and broke into a car in The Headlands, from which they took a jerry can and then set it on fire.
Cars and a scooter were damaged in Meadow Street and the youths tried the handles on several car doors.
From there, the trio went to the town centre, where they damaged the window of Hobbs Fishmongers in Church Square as well as vehicles in the car park of the Three Swans Hotel.
They smashed ash trays belonging to the hotel and one car had a bollard put through its rear window.
The spree finally ended in Nelson Street, Hearth Street and Highfield Street where the youths damaged cars and stole bicycles, one of which was thrown through a car window.
The youths were arrested by police shortly afterwards as they tried the handles of car doors in the town centre.
Sgt Dave Thorley, of Harborough police, said: "The damage caused was extensive and it caused a lot of people a lot of grief. The true extent of damage became apparent the next morning as people woke up and reported the damage.
"There was no real explanation given as to why they did it."
