CHILDREN were left devastated after "thieving scumbags" stole all the money they had raised for the Poppy Appeal along with computer equipment.

The burglars made off with four laptop computers and two iPads when they struck at St Stephen's CofE Primary School in Bent Spur Road, Kearsley, overnight from Monday into Tuesday.

 

POPPY APPEAL MONEY, LAPTOPS AND IPADS STOLEN - CAN YOU HELP?Sadly overnight St Stephens School in Kearsley has been...

Posted by GMP Bolton Central on Tuesday, 10 November 2015

It came just a day after pupils had joined headteacher Tony Lasan in marching behind the school banner at Kearsley's Remembrance Parade and laying a poppy wreath at Kearsley War Memorial.

 

 

 

 


It came just a day after pupils had joined headteacher Tony Lasan in marching behind the school banner at Kearsley's Remembrance Parade and laying a poppy wreath at Kearsley War Memorial.

Parent Michelle Price wrote on Facebook: "Poor kids! My son is devastated this has happened to his school.

"He said 'Mummy, will they go to prison for doing bad things?' I hope so!"

She said: "A 5-year-old knows right from wrong, so why don't you thieving scumbags?

"I can say I'm proud of my boy, shame your mothers can't say the same."

Mr Lasan said it was the first burglary suffered in living memory.

He said: "I came into school to find they had gained access by kicking through or smashing their way through the door at the rear of the building and made their way to the office area, picking up whichever available laptop they have seen.

"They ransacked the three offices and took money that was in the cupboard.

"It was actually in the Royal British Legion-branded collection box but that didn't seem to bother them."

Mr Lasan said: "The children had spent the last fortnight going round all the staff and all the pupils in school selling them poppies and we sold out of the poppies we had been given.

"We don't know how much but there was a substantial amount of money in there.

"It was a shock to the children and parents.

"I told the children in today's Remembrance assembly that yesterday was perhaps the lowest that I had felt since I joined here four years ago but this morning three of the children had gone home and emptied their money boxes to give to the school to try to make up for what was missing, which was actually quite a moving gesture."

Mr Lasan said the poppy cash was taken opportunistically by the unknown number of burglars as several other sources of cash were also swiped.

Teaching staff are coping as best they can without the computer devices.

Mr Lasan said: "In the short term we have to try to see how we can deal with the fact that they're missing and in the long term it's the cost of replacing, and as much as the stolen items, it was the physical damage to the property.

"The police response has been very good. 

"The only disruption to the working of the school was that for a short time parents and children had to use an alternate entrance."

Reverend Kim Lafferty, team vicar at St Stephen's Church and a school governor, said: "The fact that they did it over the Remembrance period is very sad.

"It's such an appalling thing to happen to the school and the children have worked very hard to raise money for the Poppy Appeal.

"We will be there as a church for the school as much as we possibly can be.

"The school will be looking for the support of the local community at this time."

No arrests have been made and Greater Manchester Police is investigating.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Are you a parent and wish to share your feelings? Ring 01204 537249.