News / Education
Townsend school bus 'stolen'
29 May 2016 at 05:32hrs | Views
DARING robbers last Monday pounced on Townsend High School in Bulawayo and broke three gates before driving off with the school's kombi which was parked close to the boarding facilitates, officials have confirmed.
The robbers reportedly struck in the early hours of Monday, breaking three gates in the process and escaping with the vehicle unnoticed by the school guard who was manning the premises, and close to a hundred pupils and staff that stay at the school who were already up preparing for the day.
Students reportedly heard the kombi drive off and assumed it was the school bus driver who normally collects the bus around the same time it was stolen to go and pick up staff members and students.
"We just heard the kombi leaving the premises and thought it was the driver, there was no struggle or suspicious noise to suspect a break-in. We were however, surprised when the driver came in about 30 minutes later, around 6am saying he could not find the kombi," said a school official who preferred anonymity.
School Development Committee chairperson Mr Thulani Ncube said they were working closely with the police to try and recover the stolen vehicle.
"Yes, we lost our school bus on Monday morning. It was parked just outside the school boarding area, which is its usual parking spot. The robbers broke three gates to access the school and drive off unnoticed by the school guard. We are working closely with the police and further we are calling on members of the public who might have information that will help us recover the vehicle," said Mr Ncube.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango also confirmed the development saying that police were conducting investigations.
"I can confirm that we received reports pertaining the school bus theft and our officers are conducting investigations," she said.
School sources who spoke to this publication however, said there were strong suspicions that it was an inside job considering that the robbers literally walked in and drove away with the school bus.
To add salt to injury the school's 65-seater school bus last week struck a cow on its way back from an undisclosed destination where it had been hired out for a private function.
"We are now talking with the people who had hired the bus and our insurance to see how the bus can be repaired; fortunately it is still on the road as it wasn't a write off. Besides, we had no choice as it is now the only bus we have after the kombi was stolen so if we removed it from the road it was going to be a crisis for the school," said an official at the school.
The robbers reportedly struck in the early hours of Monday, breaking three gates in the process and escaping with the vehicle unnoticed by the school guard who was manning the premises, and close to a hundred pupils and staff that stay at the school who were already up preparing for the day.
Students reportedly heard the kombi drive off and assumed it was the school bus driver who normally collects the bus around the same time it was stolen to go and pick up staff members and students.
"We just heard the kombi leaving the premises and thought it was the driver, there was no struggle or suspicious noise to suspect a break-in. We were however, surprised when the driver came in about 30 minutes later, around 6am saying he could not find the kombi," said a school official who preferred anonymity.
School Development Committee chairperson Mr Thulani Ncube said they were working closely with the police to try and recover the stolen vehicle.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango also confirmed the development saying that police were conducting investigations.
"I can confirm that we received reports pertaining the school bus theft and our officers are conducting investigations," she said.
School sources who spoke to this publication however, said there were strong suspicions that it was an inside job considering that the robbers literally walked in and drove away with the school bus.
To add salt to injury the school's 65-seater school bus last week struck a cow on its way back from an undisclosed destination where it had been hired out for a private function.
"We are now talking with the people who had hired the bus and our insurance to see how the bus can be repaired; fortunately it is still on the road as it wasn't a write off. Besides, we had no choice as it is now the only bus we have after the kombi was stolen so if we removed it from the road it was going to be a crisis for the school," said an official at the school.
Source - sundaynews
