Kinglake West Primary School rocked as thieves ransack music department

Thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments used to help students deal with the trauma of the Black Saturday bushfires have been stolen from Kinglake West Primary School after thieves struck three times. Now, the community is fighting back.

Kinglake West Primary School students Sonny, Camryn and Cohen in the music room that was hit by thieves three times. Picture: Hamish Blair

Thieves have ransacked a Kinglake school’s music department and stolen $7500 worth of equipment donated after the devastating Black Saturday bushfires.

The crooks used crowbars to break locks and force their way into Kinglake West Primary School for the first time on October 5.

They struck again two times in the past week, on Friday and Sunday.

Principal Mark Portman said at least six electric and acoustic guitars and five bass amplifiers were stolen, as well as a keyboard and the music department’s PA system.

“To break in over and over again is very disappointed,” he said.

“It’s so consistent, it’s like an attack.

“But why would you target a small school like ours?”

Mr Portman said some of the stolen musical equipment was donated after the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

“Our school received a lot of support and donations from a range of sources after the fires — it was wonderful to see,” he said.

“We also invested close to $10,000 in musical instruments and a PA system that assisted the children to recover through performing arts.

“To see this happen is really heartbreaking, our community doesn’t deserve it.”

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But Mr Portman said “true Kinglake community spirit” had shone through again, with parents offering to install trail cameras at the school to help catch the crooks in the act.

Kinglake police is investigating the string of burglaries.

Anyone with information is urged to phone Kinglake police station on 5786 1333 or Kinglake West Primary School on 5786 5262.

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