Criminals steal hundreds of pounds worth of copper from school roof

They have targeted Parsons Green Primary School, tearing off copper sheets to sell to scrap metal merchants.

School janitor John Williamson said the thefts had been happening for about two years at the school in Meadowfield Drive.

He said: "The last three mornings I've come out and they've stolen the copper - Thursday morning, Friday morning and (yesterday] morning. They go to different parts of the building.

"They started above the deputy headteacher's office and this morning they were above the staff toilets, over the learning support room.

"It's sheeting made to look like tiles, so once they've got a start they're taking up a whole sheet."

He estimated that around 48 sq ft had been taken in the latest spate of thefts, but said the problem was an ongoing one. "There's been many attempts in the past. We've had this for about two years. When they first did it I had to shut the gym hall because they'd taken off so much. It was leaking and tiles were falling down.

"I used to lock all the gates but it was pointless locking the gates because the police couldn't get in and at the same time we had people drinking in the school grounds. But they're coming in over the fences. We've got CCTV but they're doing it in the dark."

He said the trade in scrap copper was so lucrative that thieves were willing to take the risk of being caught to rip the metal sheets from the roof.

"It's 5 a kilo. I'm getting fed up with it, because I'm trying everything to stop it and it's not working."

Mr Williamson said the stolen copper had been replaced by felting, which did not work as well, and was more likely to be damaged in bad weather.

A police spokesman confirmed that thefts of copper from the school roof had been reported on March 24, 25 and 28, and also on March 11, with an attempted theft on March 2.

"Unfortunately copper is one of the high-value scrap metals," he added.

Anyone with any information on the thefts, or who thinks they may have been offered the copper sheeting for sale, should contact police on 0131-311 3131, or Crimestoppers in confidence and complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.