Sunshine College without power, heating and hot water due to copper thieves

Thieves who tried to steal copper parts have left the school without essential energy resources and forced staff and students to make do in “challenging and unexpected circumstances”.

Police are investigating the break-ins at Sunshine College. Picture: Mark Wilson

Shameless copper thieves have targeted yet another school in the city’s west, stealing wires, electrical cables and gas pipes – leaving the school without essential energy resources.

The Herald Sun understands looters recently broke into public high school Sunshine College several times to steal copper parts, leaving the campus without power, heating and hot water.

A Department of Education spokesman said the school has notified Victoria Police about the incidents.

“Sunshine College’s teachers are doing a great job in challenging and unexpected circumstances, rapidly adapting classes to ensure student learning continues with as few disruptions as possible,” he said.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Brimbank Crime Investigation Unit detectives are investigating a theft and criminal damage at the school’s North Campus.

“Officers have been told that offender/s stole copper piping from a building on Northumberland Road sometime between 14-15 March,” she said.

“It is believed the same building was targeted by offender/s between the 15-18 March which caused a loss of power to areas of the building.”

The spokeswoman said no one was in the building at the time of the incidents and the investigation is ongoing.

It’s the fourth school that’s been vandalised in Melbourne’s northwest since January after thieves stole water meters from Sacred Heart Primary school and Holy Eucharist Primary School in St Albans and St Margaret’s Primary School in Maribyrnong.

Detectives from the Brimbank Crime Investigation Unit said they were investigating several water meter thefts that occurred at a number of northwestern residential properties and schools between January and March 2024.

The Herald Sun can reveal two schools in St Albans – Sacred Heart Primary School and Holy Eucharist Primary School – were targeted at the end of February, before St Margaret’s Primary School in Maribyrnong had its water meter stolen on Wednesday.

“Officers were told unknown offenders attended a school on Winifred Street, St Albans between 29 February – 1 March,” a Brimbank CIU spokesman said.

“In another incident, unknown offenders attended a school on Oleander Drive, St Albans between 21-22 February.

“It is understood the offenders forced entry to cages before removing the water meters and the pipes attached to it.”

Police are currently investigating whether the two incidents in St Albans are linked, while the incident in Maribyrnong is understood to be unrelated.

St Margaret’s Primary School was forced to cancel classes after their water meter was stolen on Wednesday, which impacted the first day of NAPLAN testing for its grade three and five students.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said Footscray police were investigating the incident which happened on Tuesday March 12.

The school pushed back its NAPLAN testing by a day, with students starting the first test – a 40 minute writing test – on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a Department of Education spokesman said a very small number of water meters have also been stolen from public schools in recent months.

“These incidents have all been immediately reported to Victoria Police,” he said.

Water meters are used to measure the volume of water used by a residential or commercial property, and are used by authorised meter readers to help determine the water bill.

When a water meter is removed or stolen, the water supply is cut off from the property – and in a school’s case, it cuts off water flow to toilets, drinking fountains and taps.

A spokeswoman for Greater Western Water (GWW) said there’s been an increase in reports of water meters being stolen from properties across its service region.

“Last financial year, GWW replaced 335 stolen water meters. So far, this financial year, we have replaced 329 stolen water meters,” she said.

“When water meters are stolen, we implement temporary measures to restore water to these customers as a priority.

“We also replace missing or damaged meters. We assist Victoria Police with their investigations into stolen water meters and encourage customers with missing meters to call us on 13 44 99 so we can assist.”

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools has been contacted for comment.