No insurance

Communities are left to pay for burglary damage

The burglars targeted the head offices of the secondary school and the music school in Feldkirchen an der Donau. The primary school directorate, on the other hand, was spared.(Bild: Markus Schütz)

Over the past few weeks, a sextet has plundered 65 schools throughout Upper Austria. However, the insurance company does not pay for everything. Claiming back from the schools and teachers affected is pointless, however, as nothing will be recovered from the perpetrators.

"The material damage far exceeds the loot. The perpetrators hardly got more than 150 euros. But the ruined entrance door alone costs several thousand euros" - in Feldkirchen an der Donau, Mayor David Allerstorfer (SP) is furious. The gang of school burglars, who - as reported - had been on the rampage throughout Upper Austria since November and raided 65 educational institutions, had also been active in the Mühlviertel during the Christmas vacations.

Even a safe was taken
The school caretaker was the first to notice the mess. The doors to the head office of the secondary school and the music school had been broken open and a safe had also been taken. But the burglars had also found spray paint cans and sprayed them around the school. "Fortunately, it took a lot of effort to wash the paint off again, but that's no fun for the staff either," says the head of the town, who has to pay part of the damage from the already strained municipal coffers. This is because the insurance only covers the current value of the damaged school inventory, which has to be completely replaced.

Plundered coffers
The Upper Austrian Education Directorate has also dealt with the case of a school in which a cash box was looted. It contained more than the additionally insured 1000 euros in cash. "The municipality is not responsible for this damage as the school provider. The school is now considering whether to organize a fundraising campaign," says the education department, which is very angry about the six 18 to 22-year-old burglars from the Wels area.

Some of the damage will certainly be borne by the community. But such acts also have a strong emotional component.

David Allerstorfer, Bürgermeister von Feldkirchen an der Donau

In purely legal terms, the insurance company pays the current value of damaged or stolen school inventory. In the case of compulsory schools, the municipality is responsible for the rest. In the case of federal schools, damage must be covered from the school's own budget.

Special agreement necessary
Class registers are not covered by the insurance unless a special agreement has been made. The responsibility for safekeeping lies with the class teachers. In the event of a lawsuit, the injured parties can claim compensation from the six burglars. However, it is doubtful that this can be paid.