ELIM, St Elizabeth — Even as the Sydney Pagon STEM Academy is still reeling from hurricane damage, armed thieves invaded the property and made off with seven goats while firing two shots to scare off security Monday night.

Principal Milbert Miller told the Jamaica Observer that the goats are valued at $500,000.

“Five bucks and two does. One of the buck and one of the does were recently donated by the Ministry of Agriculture to help with the improvement in terms of our stock, so it is a big blow, because that would have been our service buck,” he said.

The school, located in Elim, a few miles away from Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, on just over 200 acres, was battered by Category 5 Hurricane Melissa three months ago.

Miller said the school has been left vulnerable due to the damage caused by the storm, despite the best efforts of security personnel.

“Two shots were fired, because they [security] shone the light in the direction of [the thieves]. The security heard the rumbling sounds. They turned the light in that direction and then they fired one shot at that time. Whilst they were trying to see what was happening, it seems at that time [the thieves] were leaving and fired shots,” Miller said, adding that the theft of the animals is another setback for the agricultural institution in recent years.

“We definitely need a service buck, because all the bucks are gone unless we are going to do artificial insemination. This is really a setback, because this is the third time this has happened, so our losses are close to $1.5 million over the period,” he said.

“The school does agriculture as one of its main subjects, so small ruminants [like] goats, sheep, and rabbits [we use] to educate our students, because they go home and raise their own animals as well,” he said.

He said the animals are also fundamental to the school’s nutritional programme, benefiting its students.

“It also provides protein for the students as well, so if we are constantly going to be harassed this way by thieves, then sooner or later the whole programme will become discouraged,” he said.

He is hoping that armed security and cameras can be utilised to secure the school’s agricultural facilities.

“What they [criminals] are using now is the cover of darkness, because we do not have electricity in the area,” he said.

The entrance to the Sydney Pagon STEM Academy’s farm in Elim, St Elizabeth.