Bandits hit Christianburg Wismar Secondary again

May 15, 2026 News

…as six night guards fail to stop repeated break-ins

(Kaieteur News) – Despite the presence of six-night security officers, Christianburg Wismar Secondary School in Region 10 has once again been targeted by bandits in a persistent wave of break-ins that officials say has continued for more than three years.

Regional Education Officer La Shanna Anderson told Kaieteur News she has “lost count” of the number of times the school has been burgled, with the most recent incident occurring last Tuesday night. During that break-in, thieves reportedly escaped with computers, printers, projectors, HDMI cables, and other equipment essential for classroom instruction.

Bandits hit Christianburg Wismar Secondary again

Regional Education Officer in Region 10, La Shanna Anderson.

Bandits strike Christianburg Wismar Secondary again despite six night guards.

“I can’t count to be honest; countless times. It has been happening for an extended period, for more than three years,” she told Kaieteur News yesterday following the most recent break-in last Tuesday night which saw bandits carting off computers, printers, projectors, and HDMI cables, among other items.

Initially, she said the school has a chain link fence but because the thieves made holes in it, the administration decided to construct a solid 10 feet concrete fence. This measure, though, did not help the situation. “There are houses very close to the fence. There is a heavy metal grill gate to access each staircase, so once those are not broken, we are at a loss as to how they got access to the building. There is no evidence that the main access points were tampered with,” she explained, noting that the teaching block is usually locked tight.

Anderson said the compound is huge and that the security officers do not have access to the teaching block where the break ins have been happening. “They cannot see what is happening in the building. They don’t have keys to access the teaching block. Once those grill gates are locked, they cannot go inside. The most they might be able to do is walk around the building,” she shared.

How the thieves are therefore getting access to the block, she said, remains the “million dollar question.” Regarding suggestions by the public that it has to be an “inside job,” Anderson said: “I don’t want to speculate because I don’t have the evidence that suggests it is an inside job. It would be reckless of me to speculate…and I don’t have evidence.”

The teaching block that is often the target for thieves.

She surmised, though, that during the day, persons can access the compound. “So it can be that persons can hide themselves comfortably in there. I think the persons hide out in the day and when the place is cleared, they come out.” She also suggested that the thieves can use a ladder over the back fence and remove the items once the security officers would have finished their rounds. “The security wouldn’t be there permanently, but would walk around,” she said.

Anderson is hoping that the new state-of-the-art school under construction to replace the current one will bring some relief once it is completed. The new school is being constructed in close proximity to the old one.

Contacted for a comment on the issue, headmistress Shellanne Craigwell-Peters declined, noting that it is against the Ministry of Education’s protocol for teachers to speak to the media.

Meanwhile, in a public appeal on social media, Anderson spoke about efforts to increase security at the school, including installing cameras which were vandalized by the thieves. Further, she said there had been an attempt to set the school on fire.

“This is organised. This is heartbreaking,” she expressed in a video. “These criminals are not stealing from the government; they are stealing from our children. They are stealing opportunities, they are stealing learning, and they are stealing hope,” she said, adding, “Every projector stolen affect classroom delivery. Every computer stolen affect students access to technology. Every act of vandalism delays progress and places our students at a disadvantage.”

Anderson said authorities are pleading with residents to report what they know if they saw or heard something.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

bandits, Christianburg Wismar Secondary, La Shanna Anderson, robbery, security officers

Latest News