Seven public primary schools in Embu West District have been broken into in the past one week and computers, cash and text books stolen.

The most recent theft took place at Iveche Primary School which has been chosen as one of the centres of excellence. The government has been funding computer training at the school.

Embu West district education board chairman, who is also the acting DC Daniel Obudo said three armed gangsters raided the school on Tuesday night.

He said the thieves broke into the offices and took away four computers at around 3am and took away the equipment away after allegedly threatening to kill the watchman if he raised alarm.

Obudo said Iveche Primary School is the sixth public school to be broken into and equipment and cash stolen. The DC said the school was broken into last December and computers and textbooks worth thousands of shillings stolen.

Obudo said in December alone thieves broke into Itabua, Kimangaru, Kangaru, Embu County and Nthambo primary schools. Just like Iveche, the thieves stole computers, money and textbooks.

He said up till now, no one has been arrested. Obudo said the school head teachers should cooperate as the police investigates the thefts.

The DC said, the thefts could be an inside job. He said the district education board is putting in place stringent measures to curb any future thefts.

Obudo said the textbooks are sold to traders, who later sell the books to parents as second hand books. Iveche school head teacher Joyce Njamiu and the schools chairman yesterday were interrogating the watchman John Kinyua when the media went to the school.

Njamiu and the chairman were uncomfortable with the press around. The two locked the deputy head teacher office when they found this journalist talking to him. They detained the journalist for about 30minutes and demanded the camera and confiscated his mobile phone.