UK COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM SCHOOL http://www.burnleytoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=12&ArticleID=1518193

Padiham School Hit By £12,000 Computer Raid

PUPILS and teachers have been left heartbroken after £12,000 worth of computers were stolen from a Padiham primary school.
The callous burglary took place at St Leonard's School, in Moor Lane, on Saturday when 23 laptop computers and a digital camera were stolen.The burglary is a particularly cruel blow for everyone at the school as its fantastic new ICT suite was only opened in May last year by Burnley Football Club manager Steve Cotterill.Mrs Julie Bradley, headteacher, described the theft as "terribly sad" saying: "The children are the ones affected by this theft and it has left them dreadfully hurt and sad that anyone could do this to them. The burglary means that planned projects for Year 6 cannot be done now before the summer break and there is also a lot of the pupils' work stored on disc that has now been lost. "This will also be costly in terms of the time needed to re-set all the computers when they are replaced and the expense of paying someone to do it.'' Police have said that three teenagers were seen walking across the school field carrying a football, and were later seen driving away in a blue vehicle.Insp. Dave Croll, of Burnley police, said: "The laptops were of varying makes including Toshiba, Fujitsu and Siemens. This was a very cruel crime to commit."Shortly afterwards, there was an attempted burglary at the nearby Park Hill Convent School, but the alarm was activated. A blue car was also spotted leaving the scene, so we believe the two incidents are connected."The school installed CCTV cameras in 2003 after it was raided three times in just two weeks. Police and the company that installed the equipment are now studying its footage. All of the computers have been security-marked and the school has copies of the serial numbers.The three young men are described as being of slim to average build, in their late teens and wearing dark sports casual clothing.Anyone with information should contact Burnley police on 425001 or Crimestoppers, in confidence, on 0800 555 111.
23 May 2006