SUFFOLK: Police are today investigating whether there is a link between thefts at three schools within a few miles of each other.

East Bergholt High, East Bergholt Primary and Bentley Primary schools have all had several laptops stolen over the last fortnight.

Holbrook High School was also targeted between February 27 and February 28 as the padlocks on the school gates were broken, but nothing was stolen.

Police said they were currently investigating the crimes to establish whether there is a link between them.

East Bergholt High was targeted on February 24 and had 24 computers stolen. More laptops were taken from East Bergholt Primary between February 21 and February 22, and in the early hours of February 28, Bentley Primary School had 18 laptops stolen, amounting to �9,000.

Joanne Austin, headteacher of Bentley Primary School, said: “We are a really small school with just 41 children on site.

“I joined the school 18 months ago and we started to develop our Information Communication Technology.

“This is a big setback, and replacing them is going to take a lot of hard work. These were computers children used on a daily basis.”

A Suffolk police spokeswoman said: “We are working with schools to see if there are any security improvements that can be made.

“We are asking members of the public if they see any suspicious activity to call us immediately.”

Anyone with information should call Suffolk police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

n Have you been affected by crime? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk