BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A probe is underway by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department to locate the perpetrator(s) who stole a number of items, including cash, from the Basseterre High School’s Food and Nutrition Laboratory.
The incident occurred sometime over the weekend or in the wee hours of Monday, but was not discovered until Monday when teachers arrived for work and noticed the damage.
“On the morning of Monday 24th April, 2023, the RSCNPF responded to a reported breakin at the Basseterre High School’s Food and Nutrition lab, located on the Beach Allen Primary School grounds. Police interviewed a number of teachers and learned that several items were identified as missing from the lab,” a police statement read.
It however stopped short of indicating what was noticed to confirm the building was broken into, but police revealed that one Master Tech Coffee Maker, two Master Tech Blenders, one Brentwood Air Fryer, money from a cash pan, and an assortment of keys were stolen from the location.
When the scene was processed, officers had reportedly collected a number of materials of evidential value.
This latest incident was strongly condemned by the Police Force, which stated that “this and all criminal acts perpetuated against education institutions as selfish, brazen, and contemptuous”.
The Government has been working in recent months to step up security at all education institutions across the Federation following the shooting death of a crossing guard outside the Irish Town Primary School.
“And we are in a position to, very shortly, have School Resource Officers. Those are persons who will serve as school police, but we are not using the word police office,” Education Minister Dr. Geoffrey Hanley had recently told reporters.
That comes against the backdrop of the Government finding contracts for the installation of security cameras at all schools across the country, which to date have not been installed.
Meanwhile, the police are reminding the public that possession, sale, storage/concealment, and purchase of stolen property is a criminal offence.
“Anyone found with stolen goods in their possession will be readily prosecuted,” police said in a media statement.
