It’s way too common a sight these days; CCTV footage of hoodie-wearing ratbags, out after dark, looking for loot.
There’s been a huge increase in youth crime, with break ins, ram-raids, and jewellery heists, and according to New Zealand Police, thefts in Aotearoa have increased by 25.2% compared to before the pandemic.
This week Fair Go investigated a heist of a different kind.
Tāhunanui School in Nelson had their centuries-old bell stolen in August. One of their students, Ruby Powell-Jones, asked for Fair Go’s help in tracking it down.
“Me and my friends think it’s quite disappointing,” says Ruby.
“We used to have students that have got ear muffs out here every day and gave it a good old jolt to celebrate graduation day or had it ring for the start of school, lunch, morning tea.”
The bell is a huge part of the school’s history. It used to belong to the Nelson fire station, and in 1945 it gifted the bell to the school.
Tāhunanui School has put the call out to the community, but haven’t heard anything about where it could be or who has taken it.
“It’s quite unusual because often you get people telling on each other,” says Barbara. It’s also unusual because they painted the bell bright yellow.
Actually, there’s been a spate of bell thefts. Palmerston North Boys' High and Longburn Adventist College had theirs stolen too.
The school’s suspicion is that the theft was motivated by what the bell is made out of, brass, and the thinking is that it’s been sold and melted down.
Brass and copper thefts are common. Copper spouting, hot water cylinders and decorative garden items have been targeted.
Police have approached local scrap yards, to no avail.
Security specialist Luke Mealamu says investing in a quality security camera system for your school can make a difference.
He says having sensor lights that are activated when there's movement is important.
“Gates and fencing keeps everybody out, and trimming the trees back so the school is visible from the roads is a good tactic too.”
Luke says locking your valuables down and locking them out of sight can make it more difficult for thieves to smash and grab, as well as a monitored alarm system.
Making sure you have a good relationship with your neighbours is essential too.
“I do believe in the community buy in. I do believe in using your neighbours because they're your eyes and ears from 5 til 9.”
If you have any information about the whereabouts of the bell - or if you can do anything else to help replace the bell - please get in touch with Tāhunanui School or Fair Go.
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