School thefts out of control

– Sarah Schwager
THE number of thefts from Cranbourne schools is getting out of control, say local police and school principals.
Two computers were stolen from Cranbourne Primary School at the weekend, making it the third theft of computers from a Cranbourne school over the school holidays.
On 23 July thieves stole a computer and ransacked filing cabinets at Cranbourne Park Primary School.
On 18 July, the first weekend of the school holidays, Courtenay Gardens Primary School was broken into for the fifth time in six months.
Cranbourne Primary School principal Gary Rolfe said: “It is so disappointing and even devastating for the whole school. It will seriously impact on the kids’ learning.”
Police said it appeared two thieves had entered the classroom about 9.20pm last Friday and stolen the two hard drives valued at $1000.
Mr Rolfe said there had been works at the school over the holidays and the theft must have occurred not long after workers left.
He said there was not normally trouble at the school.
“So when something like that occurs it affects us immensely,” he said.
Courtenay Gardens Primary School assistant principal Nicole Bottriel said the thefts were taking away funds that could be spent on the children.
“The tragic part of all this is that there are limited funds as it is,” Ms Bottriel said.
“Those funds are continually wasted on replacing windows and computers instead of on new and exciting things for the kids.”
She urged people to be on the lookout for people acting suspiciously around schools.
Anyone with information about the thefts should contact Detective Senior Constable Ollie Gaspari at Cranbourne CIU, phone 5995 4577.