The Sydney Pagon STEM Academy in Elim, St Elizabeth, has been struck by criminals for the third time in recent years, with armed thieves stealing seven valuable goats worth approximately $500,000 Jamaican dollars. The incident occurred Monday night as the agricultural institution continues to recover from extensive damage caused by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa three months ago.
According to Principal Milbert Miller, the thieves fired two shots to intimidate security personnel during the brazen operation. The stolen livestock included five bucks and two does, with one pair having been recently donated by Jamaica’s Ministry of Agriculture to improve the school’s breeding stock. The loss represents a significant setback to both the educational program and nutritional initiatives that benefit students.
The academy, situated on over 200 acres just miles from Santa Cruz, specializes in agricultural education alongside STEM subjects. The goats, sheep, and rabbits maintained on the property serve dual purposes: providing hands-on learning opportunities for students who often apply these skills at home, and supplying protein for the school’s nutritional program.
Principal Miller expressed particular concern about the theft of their ‘service buck,’ which will severely impact their breeding capabilities. The school has suffered approximately $1.5 million in total losses from repeated thefts in recent years. Miller cited the lack of electricity in the area as enabling criminals to operate under cover of darkness and appealed for enhanced security measures including armed personnel and surveillance cameras to protect the vulnerable institution.