Three men use stolen school bus to escape with safe from high school
CCTV captured the Toyota HiAce being driven away with the safe at 1:34am on 27 October 2025.
Three men from Fairy Meadow broke into Tumbarumba High School near the Snowy Mountains in late October 2025. Using crowbars and a sledgehammer, they spent a large amount of time removing a safe from the building and loaded it onto a school bus.
The trio stole about $560 in cash, $200 in gift vouchers, student prescription medication, and school and car keys. The same trio broke into a nearby cycle track canteen the evening before.
Two of the men, Caleb Wright and Zachary Alfred Charlesworth, both 27, appeared in Wollongong Local Court. Charlesworth pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year and 11 months in prison.
- $560
- Cash stolen
- 1 year 11 months
- Sentencing
- 1:34am October 27, 2025
- Time recorded
- 27
- Offender age
Why it mattersSchool break-ins affect student and staff safety; the judge noted the incident was deeply distressing for the school community.
