Shropshire Star

Thousands of pounds’ worth of lead has been stolen from a Shropshire school in an overnight raid.

Thieves climbed on to the roof of Market Drayton Junior School before using some of the school’s wheelie bins to wheel the lead away. The theft was discovered yesterday morning. It is the second attack on the school within two weeks, following a similar lead theft at the school reported on March 17.

The total value of the lead taken is expected to run into several thousand pounds.

Constable Mick Sturland said: “The offenders have taken three wheelie bins and scaled the perimeter fence to the school playing field. They’ve then climbed on to the roof and stripped a large quantity of lead lining, putting it into the bins and wheeling them up to the perimeter fence.

“The lead has then been thrown over the fence, probably for loading into a vehicle.”The theft at the Alexandra Road school is thought to have taken place between 6.15pm on Tuesday and 8am yesterday.

Carol Tiddy, acting children and young people’s services director at Shropshire County Council, the local education authority, said: “If you know who these people are, please let the police know as soon as possible.

“This is a selfish crime which strikes at the education of young children by diverting money from education to building repairs.”

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call police on 08457 444888.

Constable Sturland said: “I would also like to hear from anyone who is offered lead for sale in dubious circumstances. Anyone buying it could end up being charged with receiving stolen goods.”

West Mercia Police has launched a force-wide scheme called Operation Livewire to tackle the rising number of metal thefts. Since it was launched last July, there have been more than 75 arrests and large quantities of stolen metal have been recovered.