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Theft of kitchen equipment at Eulalia Rivera leaves school using satellite meals; commissioner urges community help
Summary
Commissioner Hedrington told senators two industrial stoves, hoods, an ice machine and tile equipment were stolen from a school site after contractors delivered the items. He called the theft an 'inside job' and said 630 students are affected; the Virgin Islands Police Department is investigating.
A theft of newly delivered cafeteria equipment at Eulalia (Eulalia) Rivera School on St. Croix forced the Department of Education to satellite meals and prompted an appeal from Commissioner Dion W. Hedrington for community help.
Hendrington told the Committee on Education and Workforce Development that two industrial stoves, two stove hoods, an ice machine and tiling equipment were taken from the site the day after delivery. He described the loss as a setback for completion of the site, saying contractors had been on site installing the last pieces of kitchen equipment before the items disappeared.
“Nobody, senators...can tell me that somebody doesn't know about that equipment,” Hedrington said in committee testimony. He added: “You're not hurting the department of education. You're hurting the children of these Virgin Islands.” The department said 630 students at the campus must be served via satellite kitchens until the equipment and kitchen can be made operational.
Deputy superintendent Carla Bastian Knight, who visited the campus with police, told the committee the front gate was kept locked but that the back of the campus is an unsecured grass area where thieves could have loaded items onto a truck. Committee members and VIDE officials urged anyone with information to contact the Virgin Islands Police Department and offered to work with VIPD on recovery.
What the department is doing: VIDE said it is coordinating with VIPD, cataloguing missing equipment and reviewing campus security plans (including cameras and access control) and vendor delivery procedures. The department also said it will review contractor and weekend worksite protocols to ensure installations are secured after delivery.
Why it matters: The stolen equipment delayed completion of the school’s kitchen buildout, increased meal delivery costs, and disrupted students’ access to hot meals. Committee members pressed the department for a timeline to restore kitchen operations and for stronger site security practices to prevent similar losses.
What’s next: VIPD is investigating. VIDE told senators it will provide an update on the investigation and on steps to tighten delivery and site security.
