Charity loses out due to Amherst burglary

AMHERST pupils and staff have been left devastated by a spate of break-ins. Three laptop computers were stolen together with money collected by the children for Aid Reaching Children to build homes in tsunami-stricken Sri Lanka and cash to help support an 11-year-old African child.

'The children are really upset and it was very upsetting to have to speak to the assembly. The children are very protective of their school and building,' said head teacher Tracey Moore.

'It's left the staff feeling very vulnerable.

'We were collecting for Aid Reaching Children selling bricks for 50p a brick to help them build homes in Sri Lanka. We also collect for an African child, a little girl called Nuruka, that the school sponsors.'

Three charity boxes for the girl were stolen last week. It is understood that two of the three computers, which were loaned to teachers by the Education Department and are each worth £935, have been recovered.

All the thefts were concentrated in the lower Junior School, in the building next to the swimming pool. It is believed that a keypad entry system was disabled and an attempt was also made to get into the school with a crowbar. A lot of teachers' work was stored on the laptops.

'The staff could have lost months of work,' said Mrs Moore.

Luckily, because a back-up system was introduced in September, the data was retrievable.

'No work has been lost but it's the disruption of losing the laptops. The staff rely on this equipment to plan for the children and we have all felt quite vulnerable.'

ARC founder Linda Garnham found it difficult to comprehend the thefts.

'I'm shocked. I think it's really sad that people have to stoop to a level to deprive people who already have nothing,' she said.

'All the schools are pulling together to help these kids who are homeless in Sri Lanka. This is just going to delay building a home for a homeless child.

'And if people are going to do that sort of thing, it's going to take us longer.

'They should be made to meet up with the people that they are depriving, but obviously they have not got a conscience.'

It is understood that the police made an arrest on Sunday in connection with the break-ins.

A spokesman said yesterday that two youths had been detained.

No charges have yet been made.