Leighana Buchanan, a level 3 student at the Carpentry and Construction School, described the scene as they arrived at the workshop to find all their tools missing.
“When we went to unlock the sheds and put on our tool belts, we saw that all the sheds had been broken into and all the tools were gone. This included both the students’ tools and the tools used for the course, as well as insulation,” she explained.
The extent of the theft was still being assessed, but it was clear that three tool sheds and all the students’ cubbies had been emptied. Buchanan estimated that the losses amounted to thousands of dollars, with individual students losing valuable items like drill sets worth around $1000.
Aside from the financial impact, the theft also posed a challenge to the students’ schedules. With a carpentry project due before the holidays and a tight deadline to meet, the students faced the prospect of not being able to complete their learning and practical tasks.
SIT operations lead Daryl Haggerty confirmed that up to 30 students’ full work kits were missing, with the incident believed to have occurred on Saturday morning despite the workspace being securely fenced and monitored by cameras.
While the police were investigating the matter, SIT expressed their disappointment over the incident and pledged to support the affected students in completing their studies.
“It is very disappointing to have this happen as students look forward to completing their study and entering the workforce equipped with their tools,” Haggerty stated. “SIT hope the stolen equipment will be found and returned.”
Inquiries into the theft were ongoing, according to a police spokesman.
