'Despicable act': Copper theft leaves Bulls School in the cold
A copper pipe theft has left Bulls School without heating in some classrooms, forcing students to face cold winter conditions while repairs are carried out.
A school Facebook post on Saturday afternoon said the theft was about 10.15am that day.
It shared surveillance photographs of two men and a vehicle.
The stolen piping heated classrooms.
Principal Megan Syme said she was initially concerned about safety as the gas was still running after the pipes were cut.
“We love that our grounds are a community playground ... the gas that was coming out was at a horrific rate, so that was my first concern.”
Frustration soon followed, Syme said.
“Our kids have come back to school, it’s a cold morning and it will take a couple of days to get sorted, at a great expense.”
Syme said the one positive was the community’s support.
“We just cannot believe how far and wide it has gone ... we’ve had hundreds of messages.
“It’s just a reflection on how awesome our community is and how they 100% support our school. They were all so quick to jump in and be as helpful as they possibly could.”
Bulls resident and Rangitīkei District councillor Paul Sharland was “disgusted” when he heard of the copper theft – the first of its kind that he knew of.
Sharland questioned what would motivate someone to steal from a school.
“It’s a pretty despicable act ... the poor kids are going to have to go along into cold classrooms for I don’t know how long.
“The other thing that annoys me is, what would have been the difference if their kids were attending that school and someone ripped the copper piping out of the heaters?”
The Herald last month reported copper theft was increasing as scrap copper prices soared, driven by global demand.
Bulls School is asking anyone with information to contact police, quoting case number PO67035575.
Fin Ocheduszko Brown is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
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