School’s trespass ‘a worry’

A CAIRNS primary school was put into lockdown and a man arrested in a toilet block after allegedly stealing cigarettes from a service station.

The 40-year-old man was charged with shop stealing and trespassing yesterday as police continued to hunt for a second man involved in the alleged theft at the Mobil service station on Spence St.

The pair both fled into the grounds of Parramatta State School.

It is the second Cairns primary school to be locked down within a fortnight after Balaclava State School students were forced to take refuge under their desks for more than an hour after a hoax threat.

Cairns police Senior Sergeant Tony Law said the incident was worrying.

“Any time when someone commits an offence and runs into a school, it’s a concern,” he said.

He said the drama began about 10.15am when one of the men asked for cigarettes at the service station, then left the store without paying.

The manager confronted the pair outside and allegedly became involved in a physical altercation with one of them before they fled on foot.

The man yet to be found is described as being caucasian, about 170-180cm tall, thin build, clean shaven, between 25-40 and was wearing a white long-sleeve shirt, grey threequarter length pants, black cap and running shoes.

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