UK SCHOOLS TARGETS FOR COMPUTER THIEVES : "Schools warned to safeguard against theft

Neeta Dutta

Edgware Times

Almost a quarter of all schools in Barnet have been burgled in the past three months, causing police to warn schools to improve their security.

Across the borough, 37 schools have been broken into, since the beginning of the year compared to 19 burglaries in the same period last year.

Some schools have been targeted more than once, such as Bell Lane Primary School, in Bell Lane, Hendon, which was burgled three times in six months, the last incident occurring in February.

Headteacher Suzy Stone said she was not surprised by the new figures.

'Unfortunately it's become part of the daily life of being a headteacher and instead of concentrating on teaching, we have to worry about break-ins,' she said. 'I know from speaking to my colleagues that this is a rising problem.'

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Edwards said: 'Advances in technology mean that many schools nowadays have quite expensive equipment, like computers, projectors and laptops, readily available to teachers and pupils. Sadly, this provides a temptation to criminals who see schools as easy targets.'

Police are asking staff and pupils to be vigilant against thieves, to lock valuables away whenever they are not in use and to check that doors and windows are securely fastened when leaving the school.

Mrs Stone added: 'We try to do everything we can to make it safe but one time they kicked through a double lock to steal a projector, which shows just how determined they can be.'

April 9, 2006