A GANG responsible for a series of "devastating" burglaries at schools in Essex has been jailed for 14 years collectively.
Christopher Kerr, 25, and Liam Cook, 26, both from Frinton, and Francis Wilding, 22, from Jaywick, pleaded guilty to the string of nighttime raids during which they stole more than 300 computers and caused damage of more than £37,000 at 56 schools, 25 of which were in Essex.
After admitting conspiracy to commit burglary at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday (July 11), Wilding and Kerr were each jailed for 64 months, while their accomplice Cook was sentenced to 40 months behind bars.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Inspector Nick Power of Suffolk Constabulary said: "Kerr, Wilding and Cook caused considerable disruption to primary and secondary schools across Suffolk and Essex, stealing laptops and other valuable, essential computer equipment that pupils were using on a daily basis.
"Over a nine month period, virtually every other day we would receive a report of another break-in at a school either overnight or at weekends."
He added: "The trio had no regard to how this was affecting people or the disruption it caused.
"Sentencing today outlines both Suffolk and Essex Police's commitment to tackling crime, particularly burglaries."
The trio targeted schools after carrying out detailed research into the locations of their IT departments and security arrangements.
They then forced open windows out of hours, causing tens of thousands of pounds in damage.
Among those that fell victim to the gang were primary schools in Rayne, Woodham Walter, Rivenhall, Chelmsford and Mountnessing.
Cathy Mann is the head teacher of Rivenhall Primary School, which was raided overnight on April 2013 and had 17 laptops worth more than £7,000 stolen.
She said: "It was devastating for the school at the time and we are glad that justice has been served for us and all the other schools involved."
The gang were finally caught after eight months at large between August 2012 and May 2013, when Wilding left traces of blood during one theft.
This allowed police to trace him and seize his mobile phone, revealing details of calls to his accomplices Cook and Kerr.
However, none of the 300-plus computers stolen have been recovered by police during Operation Justine, which was set up by both the Suffolk Constabulary and Essex Police to tackle the problem of school burglaries.
Prosecutor Martin Mulgrew said: "It is undoubtedly the case that hours of work prepared by teachers and pupils on the computers has been lost."
Defence lawyers told the court that Wilding, who admitted involvement in 28 raids, had acted out of character while Kerr, who only admitted to 16, claimed he was only involved in the crime spree for four months and had been trying to make ends meet while out of work.
Their accomplice Cook, who pleaded guilty to involvement in five of the offences, added that some of the internet searches he carried out into schools had been on behalf of his young children.
It is thought others may have been involved in the string of burglaries but as yet they have not been apprehended by police.
