Thieves steal Tauranga Primary School speakers for the third timeird time in recent years

Tauranga Primary School had four speakers stolen at the weekend. Photo / Supplied

A Tauranga school has had its "feel good" speakers stolen, with thieves leaving thousands of dollars of repair costs in their wake.

It is the third time in the last few years it has happened, and Tauranga Primary School principal Fiona Hawes said the speakers stolen sometime over the weekend were unlikely to be recovered.

While the speakers themselves did not cost too much - about $200 each - the damage repair, replacement and installation of speakers would tally up to be thousands of dollars, she said.

Each time the speakers had been stolen, the school had changed the design, location and type of protection, "but to no avail".

This time, the speakers had been bolted to the roof and encased in a cage, and Hawes said they had essentially been ripped off.

"It's just hugely frustrating."

She suspected it had happened overnight.

She was not too sure how the thieves would have reached the speakers but figured they could have stacked some picnic tables or climbed a shade sail and shimmied across.

Hawes had informed the police and began the process to replace the speakers.

The speakers were predominantly used to tell children when each class was over, and while she said they were not essential, the children enjoyed the music.

"They're a feel-good thing."

Police were unable to comment as the matter was under investigation.