Lead thieves target Weymouth school (From Dorset Echo)

Lead thieves target Weymouth school

11:30am Thursday 17th January 2013 in News By Emma Walker

LEAD thieves have targeted a Weymouth school for young people with learning difficulties.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward after the metal was stolen from the roof of Westfield Arts College in Littlemoor Road.

Staff at the school claim the cost to replace the lead has diverted much-needed funding away from their pupils educational needs.

Thieves removed lead from several parts of the school roof and officers believe a vehicle must have been used to transport it from the site.

Jenny Savage, school business manager, said staff and pupils were saddened by the theft.

“This is a really sad incident to have happened at Westfield.

“The cost for us to put a lead replacement onto the roof is money that could be spent on the children which is very important, especially at a special school.”

She said DNA marking would now be used on the remainder of the lead, which allows the police to track it if stolen.

The raid happened sometime over the Christmas holidays between December 20 and Tuesday, January 8.

Lead was also stolen from a block of garages at Oxford Court on Cambridge Road, Weymouth, during the same time period.

Inspector Les Fry, of Weymouth and Portland police, said: “Theft of lead causes many problems including the damage caused by water leaking inside and the cost to replace it.

“In this case, the money to replace the lead takes away funds from resources for the children at the school. We are urgently appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward to help lead to the arrest of the people responsible.

He added: “It is likely a vehicle would have used to carry the lead away, I believe someone would have seen something.”

Dorset Police are urging witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 101.

Catalogue of similar thefts Across county

LEAD stolen from the roof of Westfield Arts College is the latest in a spate of similar thefts.

Thieves took three batches of two-metre lengths of leadwork from under windows at St Aldhelm’s Church in Weymouth in October.

The incident was the third time the church was struck by lead thieves in two years. Lead thieves struck a town centre store and school in Dorchester in September, while churches at Stinsford and Thorncombe, were targeted at around the same time. Thieves made off with almost half of the roof from St Michael’s Church at Stinsford.