GUNMEN ROB PREP SCHOOL

Several parents are fuming after learning of a major robbery at the Stella Maris Preparatory School in St Andrew this week via a community social media group with no official communication from administrators via official channels up to yesterday.

The robbery comes weeks after an October 3 parent-teacher association (PTA) meeting at which parents reportedly voiced concerns about safety at the school.

The Gleaner has learned that about 12:05 p.m. on Tuesday, armed men entered the Shortwood Road-based school and robbed staff of nearly half a million dollars in cash and electronic devices.

Deputy Superintendent (DSP) Randy Sweeney, commander of the St Andrew North Police Division, confirmed the incident.

“The bursar and the accountant clerk were at their place of work when two men came inside, one armed with a gun. The men proceeded to rob the complainants of their properties and then made good their escape. Four hundred and fifty thousand dollars as well as cell phones were stolen,” Sweeney told The Gleaner.

While the office is in the proximity of blocks that house classrooms, Sweeney said there were no reports of anyone being harmed.

WHATSAPP MESSAGE

An irate parent told The Gleaner that she was alerted to the incident via a community WhatsApp group and has been waiting for an official statement from the school.

“Two gunmen held up the Stella Maris business office today ... ,” she read from the message. “Sister [name withheld by The Gleaner] was held at gunpoint and told to hand over whatever money they had. Nobody was hurt. Both men left in a car.”

The parent said there should be security personnel at the gate.

“I don’t understand how the gunmen come in, but Stella is a school that love to collect money and don’t like spend nothing. There was a big uproar at the last PTA meeting and persons walked out ... . Parents were rebelling about the same security issue,” she said.

The parent, who pays $150,000 per term in school fees, criticised the school’s negligence in addressing security issues.

“Parents raised concern about the security of their children and the security of the place. They, perhaps, need armed security, in particular in the evening, because one parent raised the issue of who transports the students to the extracurricular activities because the campus is big, and they are surrounded by informal communities ... .

“You can drive into the compound, but the school has the ability for the gates to be locked. How did [the gunmen] just come in, in the middle of the day and walk into the school?” the parent said.

She added that amid the security concerns, parents called for a change in the PTA executive at the October 3 meeting.

In a circular from the principal’s office a day after that meeting, which was seen by The Gleaner, the school community was told that there would be no change of the executive until next year and that the current PTA president would remain at the helm until the next election.

Another parent said she heard of the security breach and contacted the school office yesterday. However, the administrators were not forthcoming.

“The sister told me that no armed robbery took place at the school and she put emphasis on armed. I said, ‘Was there a robbery of any sort?’ She said, ‘No, Ma’am. No, Ma’am’ ... . I’m so angry. She keep placing emphasis that there was no ‘armed’ robbery. I asked her if it took place this week, and she said, ‘No, not this week’. So she was trying to use her head on me,” the second parent said.

When The Gleaner contacted Stella Maris Preparatory on Thursday, a staff member said the principal was out for the day.

After then requesting to speak with the vice-principal, the call was placed on hold. After a few minutes, the staff member said the vice-principal was in a class and was not available to speak.

The St Andrew North police said the investigation is ongoing.

andre.williams@gleanerjm.com