Glenwood pre-schoolers pray for stolen bus’s return
Stella Pre-Primary School in Glenwood, which caters to many impoverished children had their school bus stolen in an armed robbery this morning.
THE pre-schoolers of Stella Pre-Primary School made a special appeal prayer today after discovering their school bus was stolen this morning.
Sue Buter, principal of Stella Pre-Primary, said the incident occurred at about 4.30am on Monday morning, “Thankfully it was before any of our staff and children were around,” she said.
Buter said, “We are very heart sore, because we try so hard to help these children, and 80% of the children aged between 3 and 6 years old rely on us for transport because they live in Cato Crest, Bonella, Wiggins. Our big Quantum that transports the bulk of the children daily making three trips every morning to pick up and afternoon to take them home.”
The vehicle was locked in the yard under security radar beam, Blue Security did come out but the suspects drew a firearm so they couldn’t stop them.
Blue Security operations manager Brian Jackson said, “Our armed response officer responded within a minute to an alarm activation on a property in Deane Road at 4.30am this morning. He had just arrived outside the property when a gang of armed robbers ambushed him.
“The armed robbers pulled out of the property driveway in two vehicles, a white Mercedes getaway car and a second stolen vehicle. One of the robbers jumped out of the passenger seat of the Mercedes and held up our officer at gunpoint and forced him to hand over his gun. It was unclear how many robbers were in the vehicles,” he said.
Jackson added the officer, was highly trained to handle such situations, and responded correctly by not putting up a fight, which could have resulted in a shootout in the residential area with possible injury or tragedy.
“If they just realised by stealing the school bus, they are stopping the children’s education, and trying to steal their chance at a future,” the disappointed principal said.
Buter believes the vehicle was taken to Richond Farm in Kwa Mashu, a hotspot for stolen vehicles, where the tracking device was removed. “Its likely the school markings would have been changed already but we are trying to remain positive and the children also prayed for our school bus to be returned when they found out it was stolen,” she said.
Buter said everything the school has is a gift from someone, or donated from the public and the school bus was no different. “The bus was bought after someone from Germany bequeathed a donation in 2009. It was in perfect running condition, had full services and all safety measures and tyres checked was is also sad is that it had a full tank of petrol too!”
Buter said they tried to ensure the incident did not affect the children too much. “We borrowed a smaller minibus from Glenwood Presbyterian, which helps us with outreach for the day,” she said.
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