Artist impressions: The three men linked with the raids on two Melksham schoolsA HEADTEACHER has branded a gang of thieves who stole £10,000 of computer equipment from two Melksham schools as the "lowest forms of life".

The thieves struck at Aloeric Primary School and Lowbourne Junior School in a double raid.

Police believe the two incidents are connected and are appealing for witnesses, releasing artist impressions of three men linked with the raid this week.

Ian Janman, headteacher at Aloeric School in St Michaels' Road, was finishing off some work in his office at about 6.10pm last Wednesday, 30 metres from the computer room, when the thieves struck.

They stole 15 flat-screen computers worth £3,600 and a Sanyo projector worth £1,500.

Mr Janman said: "I went to put something away in the computer suite and couldn't get in. They had tied an electrical flex around the door to stop anyone entering.

"Initially I thought the caretaker had put the flex on because there was a wet floor or something. It didn't enter my mind that there had been a break-in.

"They must have been so quiet. I was in my office and we also have the caretaker living on site but he was blissfully unaware."

When Mr Janman got into the room he saw all the computers had been stolen. The thieves had used a crowbar to force open one of the three entrances.

"I was staggered. It's not nice for anybody to get burgled but there's something particularly dirty about doing a school because it impacts on the children directly," he said.

"These people are the lowest forms of life."

The same evening thieves struck at Lowbourne Junior School, where they forced the handle to a set of fire doors to access the Year 6 block.

Once inside they unscrewed four projectors hung from the ceiling and took four laptop computers and a digital camera, worth a total of £5,050, before leaving by the main entrance.

Three men, all aged between 18 and 23, were spotted at Lowbourne.

A police spokesman said: "Due to the nature of the two burglaries there is a distinct link between them, and the police are desperate for any information which may lead them to arrest the offenders, and equally importantly, to recover the stolen property for the two schools."

Anyone with information should contact PC Stephen Martin or PC Aaron John of Melksham police on (01225) 703444.