In what police describe as an emerging trend, criminals in the Half-Way Tree area have been robbing schools in recent times.

In two recent cases, the schools were robbed of food items, used to prepare meals for the students, along with other items.

The Tarrant Basic School, located along Molynes Road, felt the pinch last weekend when 100lb bags of flour, rice and cornmeal, were stolen from a storeroom. The thugs also made off with an igloo used to store ice and water for the students and a radio that was kept in the school's office.

Doreen Pinnock, the school's principal, told THE STAR that they discovered the items missing on Monday, so the break in must have occurred over the weekend. She told THE STAR, "Last week when we came in, we discovered the items missing. I didn't even realise that the radios were missing until we were looking for it to play a cassette for the children. They took the things that we use to prepare food for the kids."

Provide food

She also told THE STAR that they had received the items from the Ministry of Education and were forced to buy more so they could provide food for the students. "The police told us that they broke in through a side grill. It only had two locks, so it looked like they braced the grill and came in," she said.

There was also an attempted break in during the summer and Pinnock told THE STAR that they discovered "that the same grill was braced after we came back from summer holidays." She also added, "The place is not so safe because the windows are not grilled, so anything can happen."

Detective Sergeant Radcliffe Levy, sub-officer in charge of crime at the Half-Way Tree Police Station, told THE STAR that he was aware of the break in at the school and also revealed that this was not the first incident of that nature. "That area is constantly plagued by thugs", he said, "I think they stole an AC unit from the school some time ago and I think it's guys from nearby." He also revealed that thieves recently broke into the Melrose Primary and Junior High School along Kew Road, and stole food items from the canteen.

"They broke into the canteen there, so it's like a trend, where they're breaking into the schools and stealing food stuff", he said. The police have put patrols in the troubled areas and he added, "we sensitise security guards who work on these compounds and we also have both mobile and foot patrols in the area."