Oil stolen from Derryboy school

Oil stolen from Derryboy school

30 January 2013

CALLOUS thieves have stolen heating oil from a tank at Derryboy Primary School worth an estimated £1,200.

They struck at the Manse Road school near Crossgar last week when the building was closed as a result of deteriorating weather conditions.

Pupils were sent home last Monday as heavy snowfall engulfed the area and the school remained closed the following day.

When staff returned for work last Wednesday morning, they discovered the heating wasn’t working and subsequent investigations by the school’s caretaker

revealed the oil tank had been completely drained.

Staff attempted to heat parts of the building with blow heaters but the weather was so cold that they had no alternative but to send children home.

Derryboy school principal, Mrs. Judith Harper, said she’s “very angry” at what happened and has thanked the South Eastern Education and Library Board for replacing the stolen oil.

“We are in the process of replacing our current oil tank at the school and had been running down our fuel supply to allow a replacement tank to be fitted later in the year,” she explained.

“It makes me very angry that there are those who would target a school in this way, particularly when we worked very hard to keep the building open, despite the weather conditions,” Mrs. Harper continued.

The school principal explained staff made a big effort to make their way to work last Wednesday morning and had to negotiate some very difficult driving conditions due to snow and ice.

“Once we discovered the oil had been stolen, we attempted to make as many parents aware of the situation, but many were already travelling to the school,” explained the principal.

“Last Wednesday was such a very cold day that in the end we had no choice but to close the school.”