PARENTS and pupils at a Northside school have been warned of leaks in classrooms and loose slates after heartless thieves stripped lead flashing from the roof of the building.
Scoil Mhuire Junior School in Blakestown, Dublin 15, was targeted earlier this month by callous thieves who stole the sheet metal that’s used to weather and waterproof properties.
The shocking theft, which occurred in late April, has left the school with a high number of leaks in classrooms.
It’s the latest in a spate of such thefts which two months ago saw the lead sheeting stolen from the bandstand in the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, worth an estimated e4,000.
The roof of the bandstand in the Phoenix Park Hollow was also stripped of its lead flashing in mid-March.
Principal of Scoil Mhuire, Charlotte Mac Munn, recently issued a circular to parents notifying them of the theft which she said has resulted in
“damage, disruption and upset within the school community
?.
“While we have not had a full assessment of the damage caused we would like you to be aware that there may be loose slates,
? the principal warned.
“Please exercise due caution when on the school premises.
?
Anyone with information or those who may have witnessed any suspicious behaviour are asked to contact the school.
Scoil Mhuire Junior School has 23 teachers and a roll of 273 pupils.
It’s possible that a number of people were involved in the theft of the lead flashing which is a very heavy metal and as such would garner a high price when sold for scrap.
The current high value of scrap means that there is an increase in the theft of lead flashing from roofs.
Local councillor David McGuinness (FF) echoed the school’s appeal for witnesses and said the children were
“suffering from a disgusting act of theft and vandalism
?.
“This is nothing short of scandalous and anybody who can shed light on these criminals should inform An Garda Siochana in full confidence of anonymity,
? he stated.
“I am committed to raising this issue at the highest levels of the Department of Education to ensure Blakestown students have a safe and secure premises in order to receive their education.
“These schoolchildren cannot suffer from this disgusting act of thieves and I am calling on the department to assist the school in their efforts to have this issue resolved for all of the children and staff involved.
?
Gardaà had established a Metal Theft Stakeholder Forum to help tackle the surge of metal theft in Ireland.
Businesses or individuals who are involved in this area are advised to contact their local Garda crime prevention officer who can advise them on security.