A THIEF was caught in the act at the weekend by a council warden on litter patrol.

The teenager had taken a cigarette lighter from a stall in Darlington market on Saturday morning, when he was seen by Community Warden Stuart Hodgson, who was on the look-out for people dropping litter in the town.

Mr Hodgson took the 14-year-old to Darlington police station, where he was arrested and held in custody until his mother was called.

He was bailed until February 6 when he is expected to meet the town's youth offending team.

A police spokesman said: "This shows that working together we can tackle crime more effectively.

"The wardens are out there and the system is working."

Terry Collins, assistant director for environmental services at Darlington Borough Council, which runs the warden scheme, said: "We were very pleased that Graham was on hand and could stop the youth.

"We hope this sends out a clear message to people that the wardens are out there and are concerned with community safety. They will act if they see someone committing a crime."

Mr Hodgson was on patrol in Darlington town centre as part of the council's crackdown on litter.

The campaign, backed by The Northern Echo, has seen £50 on-the-spot fines handed out to people who drop litter.

At the weekend, another four fines were imposed and five teenagers, all aged under 16, were cautioned by the wardens.

Letters will be sent to their parents highlighting the need for everyone to play their part in keeping the streets tidy.

Mr Collins said: "People seem to be getting the message not to drop litter.

"Members of the public have said the town centre is the cleanest they have seen for a long time and our wardens have noticed more people using waste bins around the town."

The litter campaign has also encouraged people to report any areas in the town that have a bad litter problem.

Mr Collins: "We are getting around 40 calls a day from people reporting places that need clearing."