BURGLARS who drove off with a £4,500 ride-on lawnmower from a special school “planned” their raid, according to the principal.

Staff at Langham Oaks School were appalled to see CCTV footage of three men stealing the mower on the back of the school trailer after breaking into outbuildings.

The residential school, where some of the 64 students stay overnight from Monday to Thursday, was targeted on Friday evening.

Video footage shows the men quickly finding the school trailer and breaking into a barn on the site, before getting away within seven minutes.

The school, in School Road, Langham, teaches boys aged ten to 16 with social, emotional and mental health issues.

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Emma Paramor, school head said: “I’m upset for the boys and the staff. We feel we are being watched.

“The thing that upsets me more than anything else is that someone knew there was a trailer - this was not an opportunist.

“They knew where they were going, they went straight to the trailer.”

She added: “It seems like everything is fair game.

“We are just trying to do our best for kids who mainstream can’t manage, and they can’t manage mainstream.”

Almost exactly two years ago, the school had between £5,000 and £6,000-worth of mountain bikes stolen, and lead has also been stolen from the school roof.

In the latest raid, at about 7.15pm, an estate car with a roof rack was captured on CCTV pulling up at the school gate.

A man was seen to get out, cut open the lock and drive past the school barns to return two minutes later, towing the trailer.

Two other men got out of the car with bolt cutters and broke into the first of two barns, before moving on to the second barn with the lawnmower inside.

Louise Whitfield, school finance officer, said: “It was obvious they knew what they were looking for.

“It’s heart-breaking for the school.”

The lawnmower, which the school bought in October to save money on ground works, is a yellow and green John Deere X320.

The trailer is an Ifor Williams, which could cost £1,500 to replace.

Staff discovered the break-in on Monday and reported it to police.

Officers are yet to visit the school.

A spokesman said: “Police are investigating a burglary which happened at Langham Oaks School.

“A ride-on lawn mower and an Ifor Williams trailer were stolen between 5.30pm on June 24 and 7.10am on June 27.”

Anyone with information should contact Essex Police on 101.