Minibus stolen from Wiltshire school and set fire to in New Forest
Thieves target village primary
Last updated 2nd Feb 2022
Thieves have stolen a minibus from a school in Wiltshire before stripping it for parts and setting fire to it.
The 17 seater Ford Transit was taken from Morgan's Vale and Woodfalls Church of England Primary at some stage between Monday evening and the early hours of yesterday (February 1st).
It was found six miles away in a Forestry Commission car park near Bramshaw on Tuesday morning.
Thieves had used tree stumps to jack up the vehicle's side to remove the engine.
A Wiltshire Police spokesman said:
“We have received a report regarding the theft of a Ford Transit minibus from Morgans Vale and Woodfalls Primary School during the evening of January 31 or the early hours of yesterday morning.
“The vehicle was located at 9.15am yesterday morning (1 Feb) in Shepherd's Gutter Forestry Commission car park off Furzley Lane near Bramshaw where it had been stripped for parts and burnt out.
“Anyone with information should call 101 and quote crime reference number 54220011121.”
Head Graham Nagel- Smith said the incident is "a distraction, expense and inconvenience we could do without."
The school has a number of trips in the coming weeks, some of which have been rearranged due to a Covid outbreak and is now trying to borrow another minibus to enable those to go ahead.
"It is intensely disappointing that this has happened to us and the school has been targeted in this way. The ability to go on trips and provide a wide range of learning experiences for our children is a key part of the curriculum we offer at school. We will be seeking to replace the minibus as soon as possible, so the children are disadvantaged as little as possible. However, I am sure you can appreciate that the school’s resources of time and money could be better spent at present elsewhere, rather than needlessly replacing an asset that we already had. "
Local mum Abby Nanson told Greatest Hits Radio it's upsetting to see the much loved primary targeted.
"I was so angry to when I received the email from the head about the school minibus. The kids have missed out on so much over the last few years with Covid and it was so nice seeing them go back on school trips again. So its devastating to have this set back. My son came home from school yesterday feeling so sad about the situation. I honestly don’t understand the sort of person that would take a school mini bus. I really hope our little community can bounce back from this catastrophe."
Minibus stolen from Hampshire scout group
Meanwhile a minibus was stolen from 1st Poulner Scout group in Ringwood.
The vehicle was taken from a secure compound with thieve using an angle grinder.
Hampshire Police said;
"At some time between 6pm on January 30 and 7am on January 31 a minibus was stolen from a locked compound at the Scout Headquarters on Southampton Road, Ringwood.
"The vehicle is described as a 17-seater Ford Transit Minibus.
Anyone with information should call Hampshire Constabulary on 101 quoting 44220043277.
The force has confirmed at this stage their is "nothing to suggest the two crimes are linked."