Leeds Tech Angels scheme left "incredibly sad" after 40 laptops donated to disadvantaged school-children are stolen in overnight raid

It is thought 40 laptops, tablets and desk top computers, set to be re-purposed for youngsters across the city so they can continue to study during lockdown and school closures, were taken - and now the organisers of Leeds Tech Angels fear for the future of the entire project.

It was set up following the second lockdown in November as it became apparent that the digital divide in the city was growing. The stolen laptops would have cost around £500 each to buy and struggling families who were relying on these donations to help prevent their children falling further behind - will now have to wait even longer while more donations come in.

The theft was discovered on Wednesday morning at Unity Business Centre on Roundhay Road, which was a drop off point and safe storage location for equipment that had been donated.

Ben McKenna is the lead for Leeds Tech Angels. He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "I am gutted. This is the community of Leeds getting together to try and help people, the last thing we need is people from that community standing in the way of that. It is an incredibly tough time and it beggars belief that someone would think this is a good way forward.

"It is £20,000 worth of stuff, that is people’s good nature given back to their home city - it is really galling. It has been a lot of people’s hard effort, people have donated stuff and badgered their bosses.

"I am worried that it will hurt the programme and negatively affect our ability to get stuff out and that is my main concern now. We are back to square one and that is hard to take. I am not sure we can get back from it unless someone puts their hands in their pockets, it is a missed opportunity. They are the best ones we have had donated.

“No-one will be hurt by this other than kids that are short and that is the really sad thing.”

The data from the donated equipment had already been wiped and the hard-drives had been removed - which, Mr McKenna added, - makes the stolen equipment virtually useless unless the culprits are computer technicians. The incident has been reported to police and Leeds Tech Angels are urging anyone who is offered tech equipment for sale that they are suspicious of to also report it to the police.

Meanwhile, the other equipment stored at the centre is being removed.

Leeds Tech Angels is a collaboration project between Digital Access West Yorkshire and Solidaritech, and funded by Leeds Community Foundation. It is backed by Leeds City Council, Ahead Partnership and Zero Waste Leeds as well as the Yorkshire Evening Post which has followed the progress of the project.

Last week the YEP reported that Hitachi Capital has donated 42 laptops to the cause, which at the time was on course for hitting the half way point of wanting to get 200 donations.

Cedric Boston, Interim Chief Executive of Unity Homes and Enterprise, said: “It’s incredibly disheartening that burglars have gone to such great lengths to breach our tough security measures and snatch this equipment from the hands of young people in need.

“Unity provides first class services to our business tenants at the heart a vibrant local community. We are all proud to be playing our part to help Leeds Tech Angels.”