WATCH: 3 primary schools stripped by skelms

Varke are targeting primary schools in Parkwood and Lotus River, causing thousands of rands in damages and disrupting classes.

Grassy Park police say in the past month, three schools have been hit by the rampant theft which has resulted in the wifi and electricity to be cut at schools.

Acting deputy principal of Montagu’s Gift Primary School, Pheiffer Lukas, says they were hit by skelms three times in just one week.

“The first time was when five armed guys held the security guards at gunpoint and stole bikes.

“These bikes were a donation and we had planned to start a cycling club.

“Two nights later they broke into the Grade 1 class where they attempted to steal the copper pipes and last week they broke the electrical box and stole all the wiring, causing an entire block to be without electricity.

“The damages run into thousands but the learning is disrupted as we have to move classes.”

Hamied Bester, the caretaker at Parkwood Primary School, says in December skelms stole all the fibre wires causing the school’s wifi to be disconnected.

“Just last week they broke in and stole the metal manhole covers, leaving big holes across the school grounds,” he says.

“We had to immediately replace all the covers because they lead to the sewers, a child could easily fall into the openings and get seriously hurt.”

Grassy Park SAPS station commander, Colonel Dawood Laing, calls on residents to piemp the skelms.

“We have cases reported from Parkwood, De Duine and Monatgu’s Gift primary schools and various things have been stolen.

“It is quite disturbing to see how skelms steal from the same schools that educate their children.

“I am calling on residents to piemp these skurke and not buy these stolen goods.”

[email protected]