Dylan Harding sentenced after breaking into Karoonda Area School, stealing cameras, cash, student medication
A man has been jailed after breaking into an SA school and looting cameras, cash and student medication to buy drugs – before stealing his ex-girlfriend’s car as a getaway vehicle.
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The principal of an SA school was left shocked after arriving at work and finding four GoPro cameras, two iPads and a confiscated vape stolen during an early-morning smash-and-grab to purchase drugs, a court has heard.
Dylan Harding, 37, appeared in the District Court for sentencing earlier this month after breaking into Karoonda Area School in 2024 – stealing a number of electronics, $400 in cash, student medication and a portable speaker.
The court heard Harding – who pleaded guilty to aggravated serious criminal trespass, aggravated theft, illegal use of a motor vehicle, and theft – then walked to his ex-girlfriend’s house and stole her car to use it as a getaway vehicle.
“At 7am on March 21, 2024, the principal arrived at work (and) walked through the school turning lights on, and when he reached the area between the front office and the foyer to his office, he realised there was glass all over the floor as well as timber beading,” Judge Emily Telfer said.
“Shortly after midnight you texted a man (co-accused) and asked him to come to the school. He met you there about 1.30am – arriving to find that you had already smashed a window to the women’s toilet block. You and (the co-accused) entered the school through the broken window and entered various rooms including using a jemmy to force entry into some locked rooms.
“As you left, you suggested to your co-offender that you knew where there was a car you could take, and you knew it was often stored with the keys inside. You knew this because the car you had in mind was a red Holden that belonged to your former partner.”
Harding stole the car, picked up his co-accused from the school, and dumped it near the start of the Kinchina walking trail in Murray Bridge – before using a bankcard he found inside to pay for a taxi to a nearby shopping centre.
There, he was located by police.
Everything that had been stolen was later recovered and returned, except for the cash and a cheque that had been made out to the school.
During sentencing, Judge Telfer said Harding had broken into the school during a “drug binge”, and stole the items in an attempt to purchase more drugs.
“Breaking into a school is a particularly serious thing to do in my view,” she said. “It is difficult to comprehend how you thought your need for those items to finance the purchase of drugs was greater than those children’s need for them for their learning.”
Harding was sentenced to one year, 11 months and 14 days imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 months – backdated to May 22, 2024.
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Originally published as Dylan Harding sentenced after breaking into Karoonda Area School, stealing cameras, cash, student medication
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