AUSTRALIA COMPUTERS DAMAGED AND STOLEN AT SCHOOL Star News Group - Vandals trash - By Cassie Maher:

Vandals trash


By Cassie Maher

2nd May 2007 05:28:04 PM


POLICE are appealing for help to find a number of youths who burgled, vandalised and detonated an incendiary device at Roxburgh Homestead Primary School.

Acting Sergeant Peter Robertson from Craigieburn Police said the school’s IT building was broken into about 3.30pm on 22 April.

Police believe the four youths may have visited the school three or four times during the day and had duct-taped a school surveillance camera, possibly in preparation to return that night.

Acting Sgt Robertson said some of the stolen computer equipment was found strewn across the school oval with a computer hard drive the only piece of equipment taken.

The Broadmeadows Criminal Investigation Unit (CIU) is now investigating the theft, as well as the detonation of an incendiary device at 9.30pm the following night.

Detective Senior Constable Mark Crevatin said the device was placed at a wall of the north-east area of the school.

“The incendiary device has caused a fireball which extinguished itself and sooting of the building wall,” Det Sen Const Crevatin said.

“Investigators have received information that four youths were seen running towards Rostron Way across the school oval at the time of detonation.”

Det Sen Const Crevatin said police were keeping an open mind and could not say yet whether one group was responsible for both incidents.

Roxburgh Homestead Primary School principal Barb Adam said she suspected those responsible were “kids mischief-making”, as they had taken only computer monitors without the relevant connections.

She described one portable as “absolutely trashed” with several broken windows and graffiti.

“It’s money and time wasted, which takes away from the core business of learning the next day,” Ms Adam said.

She said the frequently increasing vandalism upset the children.

“They love the school and they don’t want to see that sort of thing. This is their learning environment.

“We’ve put in high fencing and things like that but you don’t want to get to a point where the school becomes a fortress either.”

Ms Adam said while she didn’t believe any of her students were involved, she would be “extremely disappointed” if past students were the culprits.

She also wanted the offenders to know the school was no “soft target”.

“We do have security measures in place and we’re confident they will be caught.”

Anyone who may have seen four youths in the vicinity of the school grounds on 22 or 23 April should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the Broadmeadows CIU on 9302 8222.