POLICE officers are today hunting thieves who broke into an Ipswich primary school and stole two laptops.The thieves smashed a key stage one classroom and left a trail of mess as they rummaged around St Matthew's Primary School in Portman Road at about 9.

POLICE officers are today hunting thieves who broke into an Ipswich primary school and stole two laptops.

The thieves smashed a key stage one classroom and left a trail of mess as they rummaged around St Matthew's Primary School in Portman Road at about 9.20pm on Sunday.

Today the school's deputy headteacher said the thieves had ransacked the classroom of the smallest children and it was tantamount to stealing their teddybears.

Kelly Tattersall, said: “We are shocked and dismayed. They threw a brick through the window which is very annoying.

“Stealing from a school is appalling and it affects the education of the children and stops them learning.

“It is the smallest children whose classroom is most affected; they are only five year olds.

“It is tantamount to sealing their teddy bears.

“I don't think we'll be telling the children what happened exactly but there will be clearing up to do so they will notice.

“Hopefully it won't cause too much disruption.

“It does beggar belief that someone could do this. We are very upset and it has caused a lot of extra work for our caretaker.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said officers were called to the school after an alarm was activated at about 9.20pm on Sunday.

Police dogs were used to search the school for the thieves but they were not found inside.

Anyone with information about the theft should call Pc Alastair Maidment on 01473 613500.

Has your school been targeted by thieves? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.