UK COMPUTERS STOELN FROM SCHOOLSIsle of Wight TodayCHILDREN'S GIFTS STOLEN IN SCHOOL RAID


By Jon Moreno
A HEADTEACHER has branded as callous the thieves who ransacked his primary school twice in a week, the second time taking pupils' Christmas presents.

Richard May, headteacher of Greenmount Primary School, Ryde, is trying to re-build the morale of staff and students after thieves made off with £4,000 worth of items in two raids, the latest in the early hours of Saturday.
Detectives said they got in through the conservatory roof.
Mr May discovered the break-in on Saturday evening, just as the school was about to take part in the traditional lantern parade through Ryde.
The secretary's office had been ransacked, with four computer monitors and a video recorder taken.
But 30 gifts from the Greenmount school PTA had also been taken, the thieves opening them before making off.
Mr May said: "When I discovered the break-in, it was deja vu. It was a devastating and heart-rending discovery and we didn't feel much like taking part in the parade.
"To cancel the parade would have been unspeakably awful. Everybody rallied round and we got through it.
"I just cannot believe the mentality of the person or people who would break into a school and do this, especially to unwrap and take the gifts of youngsters. It is a callous act. We only wrapped them on Friday morning."
More than £1,000 worth of cash and equipment, including computers, a camcorder and digital camera, were stolen only a week earlier.
A laptop computer and Filofax belonging to Mr May, containing information essential to the running of the school, a charity collection box and children's dinner money, were also taken.
Police said the haul was worth more than £4,000 and considerable damage was caused.
Anyone with information about the burglary should contact PC Dixon of Ryde police on 0845 045 45 45.



02 December 2004